Re-Reading The Ever Twisting Winds: The Lightning Thief
by BonesBoy15
Summary: In a twist of events, The Seer gives the Gods and Heroes of Olympus (Plus Nico and Thalia) a familiar book with a different story.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

 **Re-Reading The Ever Twisting Wind: The Lightning Thief  
**

 **Chapter One: My Magic Kidnaps Me**

* * *

"Okay, hold up!" Percy held his hands up and frowned at the back of the Seer. His green eyes narrowed suspiciously and he displayed the book that had just been given to him. "Didn't we already read this?"

"Yes, well, ahem...There's been an...Erm, interesting change in the universe you've been introduced to." The Seer answered uneasily. He turned and folded his hands behind his back. "Well, you're all adults, so I'll just be blunt. Andromeda Azalea Potter of dimension E-four-E-dash-semicolon-alpha-omicron has become...Maker, how can I put this without invoking Zeus' wrath?"

"You probably can't, just spit it out," Hermes said knowingly. Poseidon, Apollo, Hades and Ares nodded in agreement with him while the god of thunder tensed.

"...She's become a dimensional traveller." The Seer sighed. "I lost sight of her."

"You lost sight of her?" Zeus glared at the Seer. "How do _you_ lose sight, _Mighty_ Seer?"

"Hey, I'm not proud of it! Do you know how many dimensions there are!? Think about your known universe, _Lord_ Zeus, and multiply _that_ by infinity! That's what I have to look through in order to find her." The Seer retorted heatedly. He huffed. "You should be grateful I'm even letting you read dimension E-Four-E-dash-semicolon-beta-uno's adventures. I could've just switched the two and made you guess and wonder about dramatic personality changes or events that happened in this adventure."

"It's a good thing you're so kind," Rhea said before Zeus could blow his top. She smiled at their host, who seemed rather distressed. "The invitation for rest is still open, Seer."

"I would like to, but I cannot. The Andromeda you all know and adore has been...mucking about in _my_ alternate lives. That poor farming bastard...Now I have to go erase his memories..." The Seer turned and disappeared into a door of light while grumbling to himself.

"...That sounds stressful. He needs interns." Hermes mused thoughtfully.

"Indeed. Percy, please do us a favor and start to read," Hestia said kindly to her nephew.

"Alright..." Percy sighed. He was not thrilled about re-reading an adventure like Andi's again, mostly because he could still remember it.

And judging from the scowl on Zeus' face, the king wasn't keen on it either. That or he was still irked by the Seer's attitude.

 **Andromeda (Though call her Andi for short, would ya?) Azalea Potter was moping as she sat on a swing in the park near Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey. The sky was a deep black, clouds twisting and churning, crackling with energy as it drizzled heavily. Andi didn't mind though. She always did like the rain, she found it calming in some strange way.**

"Well at least this much hasn't changed." Annabeth mused.

 **Her white tee-shirt and black jogging shorts were getting soaked and clung to her petite four foot eight frame. Her jet black hair was matted down due to the water, nothing like the pixie cut that resembled a bob cut with the back chopped spiky that she usually wore it as. The only thing that kept her waterlogged hair out of her brilliant electric blue eyes and the lightning bolt scar on her forehead, were her two plastic yellow lightning bolt hair clips that she had owned ever since she could remember.**

 **As to why she was out in the rain? Well, her terrible relatives had kicked her out of the house again after she had finished slaving away to make them breakfast. Yeah, her relatives hated Andi a lot. Or more like feared her in Andi's humble opinion.**

 **You see, she was a witch.**

"No!" Leo, Frank and Hermes gasped in mock surprise. Hermes continued with a wave of his hand. "Surely, you jest!"

"I'm not kidding...and don't call me Shirley." Percy added. Annabeth whacked him upside the head while Apollo, Hermes, Leo and Frank burst into snickers.

"Classic." Apollo mumbled while he wiped a tear from his eye.

 **Well, Andi preferred the term magical girl.**

"...Seems your daughters have similar interests," Poseidon said dryly to his brothers.

"Alkaid is not a-a magical girl!" Hades sputtered while Zeus glared at the sea king.

"As if any of my children would be like _his_."

"Boys, we agreed to _try_ to be civil this time." Rhea reminded her sons.

 **Like, Cardcaptor Sakura! Her fat whale of a cousin Dudley used to watch that all the time, don't ask her why. She could never figure it out. Andi's favorite card was the Windy. Ah, she was getting distracted.**

 **Anyway, when Andi found out she could learn magic from a school called Hogwarts? She was beyond ecstatic! Finally, something that was hers! Something that the Dursleys could never take from her. Of course, once they found out, they refused to let her go. If not for the help of the school's groundskeeper, Rubeus Hagrid, she would never have been able to attend. He was this super tall guy, who was also built like a tank. Though he wouldn't harm a fly. He did have a strange fascination for dangerous creatures like dragons though, because he thought they were cute. Yeah, he could be weird.**

"Psh, he's not weird! He's like Tyson!" Percy argued. "Gentle giants that like to do strange things-!"

"Annabeth, rein him in," Thalia said.

Smack. "Ow!"

"Thanks Annie."

"My pleasure."

 **But still, he did her a solid when he gave Dudley a pig's tail.**

 **He'd come to rescue her when the Dursleys had tried to run away from her acceptance letters to Hogwarts by showing up at their little hideaway on some deserted island in the middle of nowhere and told them that they didn't have a choice and she was going to Hogwarts no matter they said. That earned him her eternal friendship right there! He even stayed to escort her while she got her school supplies. During the course of which she learned that she was super rich! That had excited Andi, since she had been living in poverty up till then. You see she had never had anything of her own from the Dursleys. But now? With her own money? She could finally get stuff! She was even able to trade in her magical money, coins called galleons and sickles, for British pound notes which meant she could get muggle stuff too. It was brilliant!**

"You'd think the muggles would take gold, bronze and silver coin," Hermes said thoughtfully.

"Paper money is worth more value to them." Apollo argued. "Besides, they'd just insert it into the Cash-4-Gold conspiracy."

"Oh come – I told you about that in hopes you'd ensure that it wouldn't be uncovered by Stone and Parker!" Hermes scowled.

"Well...We were relaxing with herbal medication and it was the first day of their weekly episodic planning."

"And you call me the thief..."

 **No more hand-me-downs for this girl! Of course, she couldn't get to all her money until she was older, but she did have a nice trust fund to spend in the time being that had been set up by her deceased parents.**

 **Yeah, her parents were dead. Apparently some crazy wizard named Voldemort killed them and even tried to kill her! But, he failed and 'died', marking Andi's forehead with her scar in the process. Turned out that made her famous. The thought excited her. She, Andi Potter, the 'delinquent niece' of the Dursleys, was actually famous!**

"She's a superstar!" Leo declared with jazz hands.

Nico scowled at him. "It wasn't funny when Tina Fey did it, it's not funny when you do it."

"You have no sense of humor, dude."

 **So back to her supplies. She got her own wand, it was beautiful and made of oak. It was twelve inches long, good for charms, and the core held a sliver of a bezoar (a stone) from the stomach of a magical goat. She didn't even know there were magical goats, neat right? Hagrid even got her a super cute snowy owl named Hedwig.**

"The true hero of the story," Jason said with a smile.

Piper snickered. "I wonder if she and Annabeth will get along this time around. Or if there will be another..."

"If that owl poops on me, sacred or not, it's going down." Annabeth huffed firmly as she folded her arms over her chest.

 **As for Hogwarts; the place was cool, and learning magic there was fun. But it wasn't all a bed of roses, Andi was famous like she said, but, not in the way she liked. People thought she was some amazing person that was absolutely perfect. Andi didn't like that, because no one really saw her for who she was. At least her two best friends, Ron and Hermione saw through the whole 'Girl-Who-Lived' spiel. They met in their first year and after a rather nasty troll incident, the three were stuck together like glue. Even through her pranks! Which, tended to backfire sometimes and get her in trouble, scolded, or get other kids to stay away from her. Sometimes all three at once even!**

"Hey now!"

"Apollo, don't you dare!" Zeus glared at the god.

"Threesomes already? I'm so proud!"

Zeus turned and glared along with his mother, sisters and daughters at the tittering Aphrodite.

"Aphrodite, must I cover your mouth...again?" Rhea asked with a harsh glare.

"...No, Rhea," Aphrodite said when she realized even her boyfriend wasn't going to come to her aid. He'd had enough of being silenced during the Alkaid reading, it would seem.

 **But hey, at least it helped fracture that so called 'Girl-Who-Lived' image, right? So it was all good in her opinion.**

 **Sure, Ron found them to be annoying, probably because his older twin brothers were pranksters too (and supported Andi's actions) and he was tired of the constant pranks, but he stuck with her and never did more than complain. Hermione on the other hand told her that she really shouldn't do it all the time since it wasn't nice, but she stuck by her too even though Andi never listened to her advice.**

 **She was just having some innocent fun, was that so wrong?**

"No-er, yeah. Very wrong." Hermes nodded when Hestia and Hera gave him dark looks.

 **But Hogwarts could also be sort of...deadly. Her first year she ran into a troll, a cerberus, deadly strangling tentacle plants, killer chess pieces, and a possessed professor. Who was possessed by Voldemort's wraith.**

 **Yeah, so much for being dead! Why no one was up in arms about the ghost of a totally evil dude being around just eluded her. The headmaster of the school, Dumbledore said it was because Voldemort's minions were not locked up and some were in the government and so had managed to cover everything up. The whole thing sounded stupid to Andi, how they could escape justice like that after all the terrible things they did? It really pissed her off.**

"Ah, yes, so it seems that this version of the girl holds a high value on justice of the personal nature." Hades smirked. "Like father, like daughter."

"...Go play with the dead, Hades."

 **And year two? Oh, don't even get her started! She had one of the most obnoxious professors ever.**

"It would seem he's not like his counterpart in Alkaid's universe. Or Rhode's," Athena said.

Hades huffed. "Wonderful, so my daughter was the only one sexually assaulted? That's fair."

"Well, your daughter's the most...mature, thus far, Hades," Rhea said thoughtfully.

"Mother!" Zeus and Poseidon frowned.

"It's true, boys, don't try to deny it."

Hades smirked at his brothers, who scowled or brooded back at him.

 **Maybe it was karma for maybe kind of turning to dust the last Defense Against the Dark Arts professor? Nah! She was immune to that stuff. Anyways, the new Professor was just so full of himself it made Andi want to gag. Though whenever she said this, Andi got dry looks for some reason.**

 **Weird.**

"Indeed. Weird. Now why could that be, I wonder..."

"Hades, that's enough." Rhea frowned at her son.

"Well, she's just as childish as the last incarnation was, it seems," Hera said dryly. Zeus sent his wife a betrayed look while Rhea sighed.

"Hera..."

"Mother, she is _just_ like Zeus. You wait and see. Her fits can rival his."

"I do _not_ throw fits." Zeus growled.

"Indeed. He has temper tantrums." Poseidon smiled widely when his younger brother glared at him.

 **Yes, so on to the deadly things Andi faced in her second year! There was the colony of giant spiders (Ron pissed himself that day), the obnoxious famous teacher turning out to be a fraud and wanting to erase her memory (He looked like a real creeper when he said that)**

"Ah, seems as though I spoke too soon." Athena mused.

"Wonderful." Artemis scowled and Thalia glared at the screen.

"Not for the first time," Poseidon added under his breath. Athena glared at him and he gave her a cheeky grin in return.

 **a giant basilisk, and a killer book.**

"I feel your pain." Percy mumbled. Leo nodded along with him while the others shook their heads.

"Guys, reading isn't so bad..." Hazel mumbled.

"You grew up with what was then a new book, now mostly considered classic English literature," Percy said in return.

"Uh, I grew up in the Thirties, Percy."

"...Yeah, and?"

Annabeth rubbed her head. "Hazel, I'm so sorry. I'll fix that. Percy, just read."

 **At least after she impaled the basilisk in the head, Andi got a nifty dagger when it oddly turned to gold dust. The blade was a pale ivory and looked (felt too) like bone with a black leather handle, all together it was about seven inches. Best part of all? The blade was deadly poisonous. As if it had somehow absorbed the poisonous power of the Basilisk. It was so cool!**

 **It even turned into a black ring! On top of the band was a small disk with a yellow reptile eye. Andi currently had it on her left middle finger. Hermione found it eerie, but the small girl liked it.**

 **So basically, before she was even thirteen, she'd been through quite a few life and death situations.**

"I had to run drills and fight monsters in the Legion," Jason said with an understanding nod. It wasn't always fun.

"I strangled a snake when I was a toddler." Percy mumbled.

"Oh, this reminds me of Zeus' youth, before he went to rescue you," Rhea said with a small motherly smile. "The adventures he had in Mother's caverns. He was so entertaining! His first word-!"

"Mother!" Zeus interjected curtly. The way his siblings were looking at him was making him very uncomfortable and upset.

Rhea sighed. "Yes, yes, sorry dear."

"...No, Grandmother, please do go on..." Hermes whispered quietly. If he could get something, _anything_ on Zeus, he would be set for _life_. Heck, he would be able to get actual immortal interns! His own spirits for the mail!

Then he could get back to doing his favorite duties as the god of thieves.

 **Andi could only wonder if this pattern would repeat for the rest of her school years. Still, a few life or death situations were better than dealing with the Dursleys. It sucked that she had to return every summer though.**

 **Blowing some of her damp bangs off her face, Andi gripped the chains of the swing, pumping her legs and swung higher and higher. She enjoyed the rush of the wind that just made her feel at home, it reminded her of when she flew on her magical broom, the Nimbus 2000. She leapt off at a great height and her blue high tops compressed the darkened wet sand as she landed with her hands thrown up into the air. For a moment she just stood there with her arms in the air, soaking in the imaginary applause. After a laugh, Andi walked over to her magically deep messenger bag, a little something she had bought her first year.**

 **It held all kinds of cool stuff: her wand, her invisibility cloak (That she got for Christmas in her first year and used for all her pranks!),**

"...Why didn't we ever use your hat for that?" Percy asked.

Annabeth gave him a dull glare. "Percy."

"Right, right, reading...Still want an answer though..."

 **some candy, some magical money, some British pounds, and just other little stuff.**

 **Andi sighed as she grabbed some candy. She wished Hunter, the stray golden retriever that hung around the neighborhood, was here. She was lonely and Hunter could always bring a smile to her face.**

"Ah, so now he actually has an intro instead of a spontaneous arrival." Jason nodded. "Makes sense."

 **Andi was pulled out of her melancholy thoughts when she suddenly started to hear hissing. It was loud and slithering followed it. After fighting a basilisk, that sent alarms ringing in her head like no tomorrow. She ruffled through her bag for her wand, even if there was an age restriction for a kid like her to use magic outside school and she couldn't use it without getting in trouble with the Ministry. But who cares about that? Better getting punished for underage magic than end up being dead!**

"That is a good point. What if some psycho did start up as a copy-cat dark wizard?" Piper asked.

"The Wizarding World would have a _lot_ to answer for. Especially Fudge." Leo grinned. "I love saying that word. Fudge. _Fudge_. Fudge? Fudge! Fuh-dge."

"Leo, I'm trying to read."

"You do that, Water Boy." Leo grinned at Percy. " _Fudge_!"

A chocolate fudge bar appeared in his mouth. Eyes turned to Hestia, who smiled sweetly and lowered her hand.

"I would like to know what changed." She said. The goddess of fire nodded to her nephew. "Please, Percy, continue."

 **The slithering got louder and she turned to see a woman…that was about ten feet tall. She had green scaly skin with black hair and wore some kind of weird armor. She even held a shield and spear. Oh, and instead of legs she had twin serpent trunks, which made it look like she was skiing whenever she moved.**

 **"Found you, little half-blood." The demonic looking woman hissed at the young girl.**

 **"Um, hi?" Andi said, not really knowing what to say at this sight, but she was slowly edging away. Who let this thing out of its cage anyway?**

 **The snake woman frowned at her 'friendly' hello. "Are you mocking me, godling?" she hissed out.**

 **Godling?**

"Welcome to the club." Frank grinned. He pointed down the line. "We even have T-shirts. Do you prefer purple or orange?"

"Neither." Nico mumbled.

"Wouldn't she automatically get orange?" Thalia asked.

"That's if she's Greek. She could be Roman, Thalia." Annabeth pointed out. "This is a whole new Andi, after all."

"...I doubt she'll be Roman," Poseidon said thoughtfully. "If there's one thing Jupiter is better at than Zeus, it's keeping it in his pants."

Hera scoffed while Zeus scowled.

 **"No?" Andi asked with a weak smile, her pace of backing up picking up a bit of speed. Snake lady didn't like that though and slithered up close in a few seconds.**

 _ **Fast!**_ **Was what the witch thought as she cried out and dodged to the side as the creature tried to stab her with its spear, "What the hell freak!?" Andi shouted out, and backpedaled further into the park. Looking for cover, the young girl slipped into the large dome of the jungle gym, giving her some semblance of protection while wondering why this thing was trying to kill her!**

"Because, monsters." The Demigods drawled.

"It's what they do." Hades muttered. He scowled. "Not that they do it well."

"Don't sound so upset, Dad." Nico muttered.

Rhea giggled softly at the similarities between her son and grandson.

 **"Get out here half-blood! Let me take your head!" she demanded, stabbing her spear into the dome as Andi ducked and side stepped the thrusts.**

"She should get it caught," Annabeth said thoughtfully. "The jungle gym has enough space for her to do that. Or snap the wooden pole."

"If it's wood." Piper pointed out.

"Right, I meant that."

 **Luckily it had to pull out its spear between thrusts, thus giving Andi time to move from one spot to another before it could adjust its aim in time to compensate.**

 **The witch's heart was pounding, as she wondered what the bloody hell was going on. She slipped out the other side of the dome and ran up the slide, and got a nick to her calf from the spear as she began to climb up, making the magical wince as she got to the top.**

 **"Okay, screw this and the rules!"**

"...Wow, she just radiated so much Zeus right there." Poseidon pointed out.

"...A mini-Zeus with Aphrodite's genes in her...May the Fates help us." Hades groaned.

 **the enraged girl shouted atop the slide and pulled out her wand. "Leave me alone!" Andi cried and pointed her wand at the creature. She didn't know what she did, but at her shout, a ball of air erupted from the tip of her wand, colliding with the monster lady like a cannonball.**

 **"Gah!" the thing shouted, slamming into the jungle gym dome, breaking it into pieces, metal rods flying everywhere over it, her, whatever.**

 **Well, that wasn't all really, as the knockback from the spell sent the raven-haired girl flying off the top of the slide and to the ground…ow much. The fall wasn't just painful though, more importantly it had led to Andi losing her grip on her wand and forcing her to feel around for her it feverishly. As she finally snagged it, she gripped it tightly determined to not lose it again.**

"She's going to be real jealous of Riptide." Percy mumbled.

 **Her wand recovered, Andi got back up and stood wobbly, shaking her head in an attempt to clear her lingering disorientation. Undaunted despite her weakness the girl shouted aloud, "Take that!"**

 **Of course the sound of hissing, alerted the girl to the fact that 'Oh, I messed up'…great.**

 **The snake thing looked angry, her headgear was gone and her chest armor was dented inwardly.**

 **Dammit, why couldn't it be dead?**

"Because demigod laws of luck." Piper mumbled.

"Because of that bastard named Murphy."

"Leo Valdez..." Hestia frowned at the pyrokinetic.

"What? He is a bastard! His stupid law gets everywhere. Heck, it's even in movies now!" Leo complained.

"Ah, Interstellar...that movie is going to be intense." Apollo sighed happily. Zeus looked affronted.

 **"One of the four winds?" It hissed angrily, slithering forward on her snake trunks, shield and spear in hand.**

 **Andi took a frightful step back, panic washing over her as small gusts of wind suddenly began to pick up around her tiny frame.**

 **A yelp escaped Andi's lips while she ducked as the snake woman attacked again. She didn't manage to completely evade the thrust though and she got tagged with a graze on her left shoulder. She continued dodging, even as her senses seemed to be going haywire, like she could see so much more than she usually did. It was just like when she fought the Basilisk. She could even tell how the thing was moving and how she could get out of the way in time. But would that help her beat this thing? It was pressing her so hard with its attacks that she couldn't so much as think up a spell to attack it with much less cast something.**

"No 'bibbity, bobbity, drop the sink on it!'? Man, Magic has _way_ too many rules to bend to," Leo said with a snort.

"And science doesn't?" Hazel asked.

"Not _my_ science." Leo huffed.

"...Leo, your science is considered science fiction to the mortal world." Annabeth pointed out.

"But it's not to us, now is it, Brain Girl?"

"Don't call me that."

"Too late, it's now a thing."

"We'll see if it sticks." Annabeth grumbled at the cheeky son of Hephaestus.

 **Andi rolled left, into a pile of metal bars and grabbed one and bashed away one of the spear strikes aimed for her head. The parry however left her arm feeling numb as her very small upper body strength really didn't compare to that possessed by her inhuman opponent. Nevertheless, she holstered her wand and held the metal bar like a staff as she skirted around the creature's attacks, trying to figure out what to do.**

 **"Stand still!" It commanded, but Andi didn't listen. She sort of liked living. Besides, that spear didn't seem like a fun way to go, all pointy and sharp and** _ **painful**_ **.**

"No, no, well...only for a second," Ares said with a smirk.

"Unless you miss the vitals," Apollo said.

"The actual piercing hurts for a second. The bleeding out and dying part hurts longer."

"...You're far too familiar with how long pain is felt from weaponry, Ares," Athena said in disgust.

"Duh. War god. Like shrapnel from a grenade, arguably can be the most painful to remove. Right up there with using molten fire to defend a castle."

"Percy, read. For sanity's sake, read." Annabeth urged her boyfriend.

 **The witch jumped out of the way of another attack and held the bar in front of her protectively while clenching her right hand. The ring flashed and turned into its dagger form. Andi looked at it and her eyes widened. The poison!**

 **It should at least do something to this thing, right?**

"Eh, maybe. A snake against a snake..." Apollo shrugged.

Hermes rolled his eyes. "Aren't you a god of medicine?"

"Yes. I can make anti-venom for humans, not for monsters. Not that I ever would."

"It's a hero's weapon. Of course it would do something!"

"I'm just saying that maybe there's more to it than that." Apollo shrugged. "Who knows? I'm not all that inclined to go find out, are you?"

"...I'm too busy."

Athena, however, tapped her chin. "...If one of my children could get a specimen..."

"Percy and I are starting the next semester soon, I need to be alive to get my master's!" Annabeth hurriedly rushed out.

"Yes, yes, Annabeth Chase, do not worry. You've done enough for me. ...Now Michael on the other hand..." Athena hummed.

 **Andi discarded the metal rod and rolled forward under a sweep of the spear and got right next to the thing's side and stabbed it in the lower stomach with the dagger.**

 **"Argh!" the snake woman wailed and backhanded Andi with her shield. Hard. The blue-eyed girl tumbled across the ground from the blow, her head in a daze as the dagger was thrown from her hand by the tumble and clattered to a stop next to her. Disoriented once again, it wasn't until she heard the whistling of the spear that Andi rolled on her back to avoid the strike.**

 **Realizing how much danger she was still in, the witch got up as fast as she could and looked for her dagger. In the process, she caught a glimpse at the pained face of her would-be murderer as it bled from the wound she'd dealt it. She looked a bit more sluggish and in great pain, which was okay in Andi's book.**

"So it seems the poison works on her despite the ... _reptilian_ similarities," Apollo said with a scowl.

"...Wow, you _really_ don't like reptiles do you?" Demeter asked.

"Blame her." Apollo and Artemis pointed at Hera, who huffed.

"Python was bored. I merely gave him a sarcastic suggestion," she said.

Rhea frowned at her. "By sending him after your pregnant cousin?"

"...I said it was a _sarcastic_ suggestion, mother. He is the one that took it literally." Hera mumbled.

 **It charged once more at Andi as she scrambled over to her weapon. She stumbled along the way and so picked up the dagger just as the monster began to loom over her. Andi turned around with a cry and threw the weapon as the wind blew fiercely, scoring a blow right in the face of the monster as it brought its spear down.**

 **The girl whimpered as the monster exploded into gold dust, gear included, as she looked at her side. Her right side had been grazed by the snake woman's last strike and was bleeding very badly. Her left shoulder was oozing her life fluids too.**

 **Andi struggled to pick up her dagger once more and started to notice her vision swimming somewhat. Was it because of the blood loss? Fading adrenaline? Who knows?**

"Probably a little of both." Annabeth mused while Leo, Ares and Hermes snickered.

"I think that was supposed to be an attempt at comedy," Percy said. Annabeth rolled her eyes.

"I _know_ that, Seaweed Brain. We've all been through that pain, and frankly, I'm still not over it. It makes me uncomfortable, and being factual is how I cope."

"...Oh. ...Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Annabeth sighed. She leaned against him. "I just can't stop thinking about The Seer."

"...Um..."

"Not like _that_." Annabeth rolled her eyes. "I want to know why he's so stressed about dimensional travel. Technically, we're all dimensional travellers since he brought us here, but we don't seem to disturb him."

"He disturbs us." Zeus grumbled.

"I like him." Poseidon smirked. "Has a great knowledge of soothing beaches."

Percy, ignoring his father and uncle, looked back at his girlfriend. "Yeah, well, its sort of his job, right? Keeping an eye on the other dimensions."

"...That's something I would not mind more information on either," Athena said thoughtfully. "Just how long has he been doing this? Has he been observing us? Can he interfere with other dimensions on a whim or just when the multiverse is in peril? These are questions I wouldn't mind getting answers to."

"Can we _not_ discuss The Seer and focus on the story of my daughter?" Zeus asked, mildly annoyed.

"...Fair enough." Athena conceded.

 **The witch tried to walk away, to get back to the stupid Dursleys for some first-aid, but she wavered on her feet a bit and ended up tripping on and landing over her bag.**

 **Andi was terrified; she didn't want to die here, like some nobody. She really didn't. Panic filled her thoughts as she blinked back the tears brought on by the pain from her wounds and the fear for her life.**

 **As she held her bag, her insides twisted and suddenly with a loud bang, she felt like she was being propelled at lightspeed to an unknown destination.**

"Ah, yes. The portkey to Camp." Apollo nodded. He began to stroke his chin thoughtfully. "We should really look into that."

"...We're one hundred and ten percent behind that." The demigods of the camps unanimously agreed.

"Giving children instantaneous travel? That's a dangerous burden." Hera countered. "One of Hephaestus' or Athena's would want to dismantle it to discover how it works."

"...That is true." Athena sighed.

"Yeah, my kids would do that." Hephaestus nodded in agreement.

"Not to mention quests need to be done traditionally," Zeus said with a huff. Poseidon and Hades snorted. He frowned at them. "What?"

"You do remember _why_ Andromeda originally went on the quest, right?" Poseidon asked with a smirk.

"...That has nothing-!"

"Oh, please. It has _everything_ to do with what you just said." Hades rolled his eyes.

Zeus opened his mouth to retort, but closed it when Rhea cleared her throat and gave him an expectant look.

The king's eye twitched lightly and he let out a soft growl when his brothers' small smirks remained on their faces. He was not petty...they were just assholes.

 **Andi felt like she was floating for a moment when suddenly she landed rather harshly on her already sore bum, her knife and bag dropping down onto the ground next to her. The very muddy ground. Exhaustion washed over her like a plague, more so than the blood loss alone could account for. She could barely keep her eyes open. What she could see though were blurring and meshing together into one big blob of color.**

 **"Ow." Andi whimpered out as she crawled over to and sat her back against a nearby tree. The air was a bit muggy, like it was in the middle of summer, it felt warmer and fresher than it had been in Surrey too. Yep, and it just rained, she could tell.**

"Ah, meteorology powers...the best." Thalia smirked.

"...You can control meteors?" Percy asked.

"You're an idiot, Percy."

"Hurtful."

"Percy," Annabeth said with a sigh. "Read."

 **Where was she? The girl looked up through her swimming vision and saw a pine tree, "Hello?" Andi asked her hallucination, as her blood loss was no doubt making her delirious. There was no way she had randomly left Surrey, right?**

 **Her hysteric musings were interrupted when she unexpectedly heard the sound of running and galloping? It was soon followed by some voice.**

 **"Chiron, there's another one by Thalia's tree!" a male voice called out, it sounded older but not British.**

 **Andi heard a sharp gasp as she stared at the blurry blond blob.**

 **She heard a whisper of 'Thalia' as if the guy had seen a ghost.**

 **"Who?" Andi croaked.**

"Hi, I'm Thalia." Thalia waved. "Lieutenant of Artemis' Hunters, Daughter of Zeus, formerly a pine tree."

"Hi Thalia!" The demigods chorused together.

 **Fortunately for the injured witch, her voice knocked the rescuer (hopefully?) out of staring at her and prompted him into action.**

 **"Don't worry kid; we'll get you patched up." He said kindly as he recovered from whatever seeing her had done to him and gingerly picked the child up in some kind of cradle carry.**

 **"My 'tuff." Andi slurred a bit, her eyes starting to droop from how heavy they felt.**

 **"I'll get them for you personally kiddo. C'mon," he said to Andi as she felt him start running. She looked to see where they were going and saw that they were heading towards a big blue house.**

 **Andi looked up at her savior and saw a pair of icy blue eyes which made her frown a little.**

 **"Why do you look so sad?" she mumbled to him as the black edges around her vision engulfed her.**

"Because he's a psycho."

"Ares!"

"What? Did you expect me to go without saying it?"

"...Hypocrite." Hermes accused.

"Proud of it, bitch!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

 **Reading The Ever Twisting Wind: The Lightning Thief**

 **Chapter Two: I'm a Demi-What?!**

* * *

"So, anyone else want to have a go?" Percy asked.

"I'll read, Percy," Annabeth said with a small roll of her eyes. She plucked the book from his hand and turned the page.

 **It was official: Andi had the weirdest dreams, ever.**

 **There was this golden eagle and white horse fighting, it involved lots of screeching and slashing talons from the eagle and whining and bucking from the horse.**

 **It was like some kind of full on death match or something.**

"If only," Ares said with a sad sigh.

The glares from both Poseidon and Zeus were ignored promptly.

 **She woke up a few times before going back under. Andi remembered lying in a soft bed being spoon-fed something that tasted like a buttered croissant. Only it had the consistency like pudding. A girl with curly blond hair with neat looking grey eyes hovered over the black haired girl, smirking as she wiped off some stray bits from Andi's chin.**

 **When she saw Andi's eyes open, she asked, "Since the other one didn't know,**

"Which would be me." Percy nodded.

"Oh, wait, we get to see stupid Percy again?" Nico asked with a grin.

"Hey!"

"Sorry, sorry. I mean, we get to see _younger_ stupid Percy again?"

Percy glared at the smirking Nico, while the others snickered.

 **maybe you can help. What will happen at the summer solstice?" She asked…well, interrogated more like.**

 **"Wha?" Andi moaned out, her eyes blinking at the natural lighting in the room.**

 **The blonde looked around, as if afraid someone would overhear. "What's going on? What was stolen? We've only got a few weeks!"**

"One word. Just _one_ , and I'll cram a rock down your throat," Annabeth said without looking up from the book.

Leo and Thalia, both ready to tease Annabeth, shut their mouths promptly.

 **"Leave 'e 'lone." The small girl mumbled while trying to sit up, but the girl gently pushed Andi back down, even as she struggled a bit.**

 **"Relax, you're safe." She told the injured girl genuinely.**

 **Andi didn't believe her and rolled off the bed. Face met floor and blackness followed.**

"Oh, the poor dear." Rhea frowned while the demigods snickered again.

Even the second time around, that was still funny.

 **She awoke again some time later, confined to the bed once more but the interrogating girl was gone while a new guy was in her stead. He was a husky blond dude, and dressed like a surfer. He stood in the corner of the bedroom keeping watch. He had blue eyes- at least a dozen of them-on his cheeks, his forehead, and even the backs of his hands.**

"Argus looks to have adapted to the times well," Rhea said.

"Indeed," Hera said with a smile.

 **It was wicked cool, she thought, before sleep demanded her noggin once more.**

 **When Andi finally came around for good, there was nothing weird about her surroundings and she saw that a window was by her side. Outside of it, she gazed across a meadow at green hills in the distance. The window was cracked open to allow the breeze in, which smelled like strawberries (which she loved).**

 **It was heavenly to her really, like something out of a postcard.**

 **She yawned a bit, clicking her tongue somewhat and felt as though she'd been in Egypt for a while from how dry her mouth was. While looking around, lo and behold, another infirmary…she was really starting to hate ending up in one all the time!**

 **On the table next to her was a tall drink. It looked like iced apple juice, with a yellow straw and a paper parasol stuck through a maraschino cherry.**

"An appletini? That's not good for after a concussion," Apollo said with a huff.

 **Andi looked at it critically, like it could be poisonous…but her gut was saying otherwise and when her gut spoke, she tended to listen.**

"Listen to the wisdom of the instinct," Percy said with a nod.

"But always think something through when you can," Annabeth said afterwards. She gave her beau a pointed look. "Are we really going to repeat ourselves?"

"...No..."

"Good."

 **So, she decided to see if it would kill her or not. Her hand was a bit weak at first, but after a few flexes of her fingers and rotating of the arm; she got the feeling back in it while picking up the glass, or more like moved it enough so her mouth could reach the straw.**

 **Andi took a tiny sip, just in case and gasped lightly, it was like a strawberry tart, but liquefied…it was brilliant. Andi felt a bundle of energy build up in her from the potion, she assumed, and felt as though she could lift a tractor. She eagerly had some more, enjoying the strawberry goodness.**

 **After licking her lips a bit, she put the half filled cup on the table, before proceeding to pull the blanket off and swing her legs to the sides. Andi then started her infirmary exercises. Swinging her legs back and forth to get the feeling back in them while rotating her shoulders. She winced a bit however as she moved her left one.**

"That landing was a doozy," Jason said with a grimace.

 **She peeled the neckline of the plain white shirt she was currently in down a little and saw bandages wrapped around her shoulder. Lifting up the hem of the shirt, she saw that some had been wrapped around her flat stomach too.**

There was a cat-call whistle.

"Who dares?" Artemis asked, glaring around the room.

"...Me." Ares grinned. An arrow was fired into his right eye. "GAH! BITCH!"

"More where that came from."

"Artemis, enough!" Zeus barked.

"Fine..." Artemis muttered sourly, returning to her seat and folding her arms over her chest, her bow disappearing into thin air.

 **She'd bet her Chocolate Frog card collection that the wound was going to leave a scar. Great, just what she needed. More scars.**

 **After the bit of stretching, Andi stood up and only wobbled a little bit. She saw her messenger bag and sneakers in the corner and checked them immediately. Her cloak, stuff, wand, and ring were in it. She tried to pick up the bag, but her body wobbled at the action. Frowning, she left the bag there for now and after struggling into her sneakers, proceeded to open the infirmary door that led outside and walked out onto the porch.**

 **As she got out, she looked onto the postcard-esque scene that she had glimpsed from the window and it was even more breathtaking than she had imagined. She could just look at it for hours, it was so peaceful.**

"Meh, I've seen better," Dionysus said with a scoff. "If there were less of those dreadful things around."

"...You mean the demigods, don't you?" Demeter asked dryly.

"Of course!"

 **There were a few chairs, tables, and lounge chairs spread about the porch. A boy occupied one; he had short black hair and green eyes that looked rather gloomy. He looked about her age. His legs were covered by a blanket and had a pillow to his back. On his lap was a shoebox and in it was a jagged white and black horn.**

 **"…fault." The girl heard the boy said to another boy in an American accent. Leading her to believe she wasn't in jolly ol' England anymore.**

 **Bollocks.**

"No, she's not supposed to be in anything until...Ohh, Bollocks, not Bullock...Got it." Apollo nodded.

"...Your stupidity astounds me," Artemis said dryly.

"You're just jealous that I'm a riot and you're not." Apollo stuck his tongue out at her.

"Real mature."

"At least one of us is."

"Twins..." Hestia cut in with a frown.

"Sorry Hestia." The two chimed.

 **"Yes, it was. I was supposed to protect you." Said the curly brown haired boy. He was leaning against the porch railing, looking like he hadn't slept in a week. He was wearing blue jeans, Converse hi-tops and a bright orange T-shirt that said CAMP HALF-BLOOD.**

 **The name caught the witch's attention. Why was this supposed camp named that? In wizarding society she was a half blood, since her dad was a pureblood wizard while her mum wasn't, but do they label people like that in America too?**

 **"Did my mother ask you to protect me?"**

 **"No. But that's my job. I'm a keeper. At least...I was."**

 **"But why..." the sitting boy asked, sounding woozy, Andi wanted to know too as she took a casual sip from the drink in her hand. Shamelessly eavesdropping, a habit that she had picked up from school.**

"...Still better than my other cousins," Percy said with a frown.

"...Ouch, Percy," Jason put a hand over his chest. "Ouch."

"Okay, well, second best to you dude."

"Ah, thanks bro."

"...The bromance is real," Piper said lowly, bursting into laughter when the two teens sent her a confused look.

 **"Don't strain yourself," Curls said, "here." He held the glass to the black haired boy's lips.**

 **"Uh, hello?" Andi greeted awkwardly.**

 **Startled, the curly haired boy let out a nervous bleating noise that sounded goatish as he turned to her. The girl smiled, the noise was funny. "You shouldn't even be standing." He said in a shocked whisper as he walked over to her and gently led her into sitting down in one of the lounge chairs next to the other boy, much to Andi's protest.**

"Good. Good. Let's not get into that subject," Rhea said with a small smile as she looked at her youngest son and youngest daughter.

"Mother!" They scowled at the tittering Titaness.

"Oh, teasing you two over this is so much fun!"

"Yes...So fun." They mumbled in discontent.

 **About sitting down, not next to the boy…but he did look kind of wimpy.**

"Beat Ares."

"If I didn't have an arrow in my eye, Poseidon, I'd kick your ass!"

"Uh-huh, sure you would." Poseidon smiled at the god of war in amusement.

 **She hoped it doesn't rub off on her.**

 **"Hey, I'm only a little tired. I'm a big girl. Some freaky snake lady can't take me down." Andi stated with a cute pout, "More importantly, where is this? Some kinda magical summer camp the States have?" she asked in wonder.**

 **"** _ **Big**_ **is debatable."**

"Ooh, the satyr fires a shot."

"...It's shots fired, Hazel." Leo corrected with a snicker.

Hazel huffed. "Whatever, I'm learning."

 **The girl heard him mutter before he turned to her and spoke in a normal speaking voice, "Kind of, it'll be explained in a bit." He assured the girl.**

 **"I'm sorry, what was that first part furry chin?" Andi asked menacingly with narrowed eyes, as she sipped her potion through the straw.**

 **The curly haired boy held his hands up defensively and bleated a nervous laugh, "Nothing, nothing. So, I'm Grover. Nice to meet you, uh?"**

 **Andi smirked, her chin held high, "Name's Andi, best damn witch you'll ever meet!" They gave her some odds looks, but she ignored them. Clearly they were stunned by her awesome declaration. Andi looked over Grover again, "So, Grover? You look sorta more like a Clover to me."**

"I still have to call him that," Percy said with a smirk.

"Same." "Oh yeah." Nico and Thalia agreed, grins on their faces.

 **The black haired boy sniggered at that while Grover slumped, "Yeah, uh, thanks." he said weakly.**

 **"Hey Grover, she's a riot. Is she a err… camper here?" the green eyed boy asked**

 **"She's new, like you. Just appeared on the border of the camp. Andi, this is Perseus Jackson."**

 **"Charmed." Andi said with a smirk to the boy.**

 **"Yeah, um, same. Call me Percy, though." He said, "Wait, witch? Like in magic and wizards and stuff?" Percy asked with disbelief in his tone as he finally caught on to what Andi was actually saying.**

"Do you believe in magic-Oh, come on, I was quoting it I wasn't going to sing it!" Apollo frowned when Artemis glared at him.

"Sure, you say that now."

 **"Of course." Andi exclaimed to him like he was an idiot.**

 **Percy just blinked like an owl in bewilderment.**

 **"So, can you tell me what happened to you?" Grover asked the young girl.**

 **"I was all alone in the park, on the swings and then BAM! This freaky snake lady was trying to stab me with a spear. She was very mean too, even as I stabbed her in the neck."**

 **"You killed a Dracanae? Without any training?" Grover asked sounding impressed.**

 **Andi snorted, "Please~! That was nothing! I took on a giant basilisk once.**

"And that can't be misinterpreted in any way at all." Frank mumbled with a sigh.

"She's like twelve, dude." Leo pointed out.

"I know, but from me, it's not as creepy because I'm not an immortal."

'No, it's creepy because you're a beefcake."

"...Shut up."

 **A Draca-what's-it ain't a challenge compared to that. Even got a cool knife to prove it." She waved off, her ego being a bit boosted for the slaying of a monster, or two.**

 **Grover blinked, "You mean that Drakon you killed, right?" he said**

 **It was Andi's turn to blink, "Drakon…aren't they, like, the mommies and daddies of dragons or something?" she asked remembering hearing about that from her dragon obsessed friend, Hagrid.**

 **Grover nodded, "Yep, that knife of yours? It was made from a monster's tooth. And that tooth wasn't a basilisk's Andi, they're way smaller. You killed a Drakon." He said in an awed tone, "Chiron confirmed it himself. Everyone knows by now." He stated in a matter-of-fact tone.**

"Great, now I'll have to top that somehow..." Percy mumbled.

"...You stopped Kronos..." Annabeth reminded him.

"Right, right..."

 **"A what?" Percy asked, a clueless expression on his face.**

 **"So I killed a super dragon or something?" Andi asked, getting a nod from the fuzzy chinned boy, "Wicked." She answered with a grin stretching across her face.**

 **"Hey, you said not to say the name?" Percy said, a bit put out by the looks of it, while speaking at Grover.**

 **Grover turned to him, "I said the race, not the actual name of the monster like you tried to do." He countered.**

"Shame Newb-Percy. For shame." Leo wagged his finger most menacingly at the screen.

"Very funny." Percy mumbled, rolling his eyes.

 **Andi yawned and turned to Grover, "Hey, can you grab my bag for me? I tried to get it...but I'm still a little asleep I guess." she yawned.**

 **Grover nodded, "I'll go get it. You two just relax, please." He pleaded.**

 **Grover walked into the house to get the bag and now it was just a boy she didn't even know and herself. Sitting around and basking in the awkward silence.**

 **"So, you're British." The Jackson boy said to her, trying to start a conversation.**

"And failing."

"Thalia, no commentary, please."

"I promise nothing."

 **Andi looked at him funny, "No, I'm French, really." she answered with an eye roll, "Of course I am, what gave it away you Yank?" she asked mockingly. She was still hyped up on adrenaline from wondering about where she was and what the fudge was going on, so she was very irritable right now.**

 **The boy frowned a little at her answer while looking a bit pink in the cheeks, "Fine, just asking. Never met someone from England before." He stated, and from the sounds of it, trying to be civil.**

 **Andi sighed, "Sorry, just, this is kinda messing with me. All this." she stated with a wave of her arm, "Just jumpy I guess."**

"No, that's the ADHD," Percy said. "Once you get a good nights sleep it should settle down. Sort of."

"Eh, ADHD isn't so bad...The Dyslexia, though, _that's_ obnoxious." Leo groaned.

"That's gotta suck for you guys," Frank said with a sympathetic smile.

"It does." Hazel sighed sadly.

 **He looked back and nodded with a tiny smile, "Yeah, I'm a bit weirded out too, so I can understand."**

 **"Cool, glad someone does because I sure don't."**

 **They both laughed a bit as Grover came back with Andi's messenger bag.**

 **For a while, the black haired kids just sat in silence as they both sipped their drinks. It was very yummy.**

 **They had finished about three quarters of their servings when Grover asked, "Was it good?"**

 **Percy nodded while Andi spoke, "It was amazing." she said in slight bliss.**

 **"What did it taste like?" He sounded wistful.**

"Well if he had one sip..." Hades trailed off wistfully.

"He'd turn into a flower, Hades."

"We don't know that! Anything could happen!"

"...I'm willing to test this new experiment-," Ares started to say, a patch over his eye.

"No." Zeus glared at his son and brother.

"Aww..." "Tch."

 **Percy frowned somewhat while the girl blinked, wondering why hadn't he have any?**

 **"Sorry," Percy said. "I should've let you taste."**

 **Grover's eyes got wide. "No! That's not what I meant. I just... wondered."**

 **"It tasted like a strawberry tart to me." Andi supplied to him.**

 **"Chocolate-chip cookies," Percy said. "My mom's. Homemade." Andi sighed a bit at that, wistfully thinking about how lucky Percy was. He heard her and looked curious.**

 **"Doesn't your mom make you anything home made?" he asked**

"Smooth." Nico nodded.

"Shut up, how was I supposed to know?"

 **"No."**

 **"Why?" he asked, making the blue eyed girl grit her teeth.**

 **"Dead." Andi said bluntly.**

 **He winced, "I'm sorry, um, your dad?"**

 **"Dead." She said in annoyance.** _ **Take a hint; we all aren't lucky like you.**_ **Andi thought darkly.**

"Well, to be fair, his uncle kidnaps his mother," Hermes said, since luck one a minor domain of his.

"Yes, thank you for the reminder, Hermes." Hades drawled sarcastically while Poseidon glared at him.

"No problem, Hades," Hermes said with a nod.

 **Percy stopped talking and turned away embarrassed. Andi was thankful.**

 **Grover sighed. "And how do you two feel?"**

 **"Like I could throw Nancy Bobofit a hundred yards." Percy answered him, happy to get away from this awkward moment.**

 **"Who?" Andi asked**

 **"A bully in my old school." He answered her.**

 **"Oh, I'd just punch them in the face; it gets them to back off."**

"Yes, but it also gets you in trouble, which I obviously don't do enough of without trying." Percy grumbled sarcastically.

"You're a magnet for trouble, Percy." Annabeth sighed.

"Believe me, I know. I mean, a cannon blew up a school bus once. A cannon! I don't even know how that's possible!"

"...Was it a naval cannon?" Poseidon asked.

"Maybe. Why?"

"Oh...No reason."

 **She stated with a shrug, "Anyway, I feel like I could run a marathon and not even feel a smidge tired." Andi said with a playful yawn, getting Grover to chuckle lightly.**

 **"That's good," Grover said. "That's good. I don't think you could risk drinking any more of that stuff."**

 **"What do you mean?" Percy asked in confusion.**

 **Andi frowned, "Yeah, I mean, sure it's a potion, but shouldn't we finish it for the full effect?" she asked. She may have average grades in potions, but she was good enough to know that much at least. Seriously though her grades in potions should be higher but the evil potions professor hated her dad's guts, and had carried that grudge over to her too for being his 'evil spawn' and thus tried to fail her in every class. Greasy git.**

"Aw, but he's like the ultimate secret agent! Snape's a dick, but he's a good dick!"

"Apollo! Language!" Rhea glared at her grandson.

"I'm just sayin'!"

 **Grover didn't answer and took the cups gingerly, as though they would blow up at any second if he didn't handle them with utmost care, "Come on. Chiron and Mr. D are waiting."**

 **It was then the girl noticed that the porch wrapped all the way around the farmhouse.**

 **Percy's legs looked wobbly as he tried to walk that far. He should have done infirmary stretches like she had. She was feeling much better already and was able to stand up fine.**

"Excuse me for not knowing about infirmary stretches..." Percy grumbled again. Why did he like Andi again? ...Oh yeah, she was funny.

 **Grover offered to carry his Minotaur horn and her bag, but Percy had said he'd hold on to it, looking stern. Andi thanked him though while handing her stuff to him, trusting the boy.**

"Not trusting Grover, Percy?" Thalia tisked. "Shame."

Percy gave Thalia a look. "I trust Grover with my life...At that moment, my mom had been snatched by a god, I just found out monsters are real and my best friend had lied to me about why he enjoys Rasta hats and enchiladas so much."

"...Fair enough."

 **As they came around the opposite end of the house, Andi caught her breath once more.**

 **They must've been on the edge of the States or something, because on that side of the house, the valley rolled all the way up to the water, which glittered about a mile in the distance. Between here and there, the girl simply couldn't process everything without getting giddy. The landscape was dotted with buildings that looked like ancient Greek architecture-an open-air pavilion, an amphitheater, and a circular arena-except that they all looked brand new, their white marble columns shining in the sun. In a nearby sandpit, a dozen high school-age kids and satyrs, whom were cool to see since she'd never met one before, were playing volleyball. Canoes were gliding across a small lake. Kids in bright orange T-shirts like Grover's were chasing each other around a cluster of cabins nestled in the woods. Some shot targets at an archery range. Others rode horses down a wooded trail, and some of their horses had wings! Andi knew that the Wizarding world had winged horses, but these looked grander somehow.**

"That's because they're legit." Poseidon smirked. "Nothing beats a good ol' fashioned Greek pegasus."

"...Gonna disagree with you on that one, Dad." Percy mumbled. That Maserati spider was still the coolest thing in the world and he would get one...some how...

 **Down at the end of the porch, two men sat across from each other at a card table. The blonde haired girl who'd spoon-fed the witch croissant-flavored pudding and tried to interrogate her, was leaning on the porch rail next to them.**

 **The man facing the kids was small, but plump. He had a red nose, big watery eyes, and curly hair so black it was almost purple. He looked like he could out eat her uncle and cousin, and that was saying something. But he also looked like someone you would always see at a party of the more adult variety, mostly because of the alcohol. He wore a tiger-pattern Hawaiian shirt. The main thing that got Andi however was how powerful he was. She inwardly shivered at the power rolling off him in waves. Sure, Dumbledore was strong, yes, but this man? He made the headmaster look like an ant, or something even lower on the food chain.**

"Far, far lower on the food chain," Dionysus said with a huff. "I wonder how this one will differ from the old fool we've previously read up on."

"Or, radical thought, he's a grandfatherly figure without any ulterior motives? Eh? Eh?"

"...Apollo, why are you so Dumble-hard?" Hermes asked.

Apollo hung his head. "Because I'd go gay for Gandalf."

"...Wha-I don't even...O-Okay."

 **"That's Mr. D," Grover murmured to the kids. "He's the camp director. Be polite. The girl, that's Annabeth Chase. She's just a camper, but she's been here longer than just about anybody. And Percy already knows Chiron..."**

 **He pointed at the guy whose back was to them.**

 **The first thing Andi realized about this Chiron character was that he was sitting in the wheelchair. He had a tweed jacket, thinning brown hair; a scraggly beard that fit him just right, unlike the headmaster's which was so long it made the old wizard look like a Merlin wannabe.**

"...Okay, that's true, I'll give her that." Apollo mumbled.

 **"Mr. Brunner!" Percy cried out. The black haired girl looked at him funny, why was he shouting? But she was too busy trying to recall where she remembered the name Chiron from to comment.**

 **The man looked at them and had this twinkle in his eye that somehow glinted with mischief even as he smiled kindly.**

 **"Ah, good, Percy," he said, before he turned to the small girl, "And you must be Andromeda Potter, excellent, now we have four for pinochle…" he trailed off as his eyes widened while looking above her head.**

 **Andi looked up and saw a yellowish gold holographic lightning bolt thing above her.**

"Wow, just going right out and claiming her like that?" Rhea blinked in mild surprise. "You must really care for her."

"Of course I do." Zeus rumbled, slightly insulted by his mother's surprise.

"Oh, sure...and Poseidon didn't claim Percy at an opportune moment by coincidence," Hades said with a snort.

"Don't bring me into this!" Poseidon grumbled.

 **"Ugh, while this is really cool, what's up with the lightshow?" Andi asked as she observed the obnoxiously glowing bolt.**

 **She wasn't answered as Grover, dragging down a confused Percy, dropped to their knees along with Annabeth as Chiron bowed his head and Mr. D looked on with mild interest. Andi turned to see everyone outside the porch, getting on their knees, too.**

 **She was** _ **so**_ **lost right now.**

 **"All hail Andromeda Potter, daughter of Zeus, Thunderer, Lord of the Sky and King of Olympus!"**

"I still want to hear God of Theatre added to that lineup of titles."

"Shut up, Poseidon."

 **The man in the wheelchair spoke loud and clear as everyone who was kneeling looked at Andi like she was some kind of rare zoo animal that had just gotten off the endangered species list.**

 **She snapped her head back to the people she semi-knew and saw Grover looked like he was going to faint, Percy looked even more confused, and that Annabeth girl looked like she had won the lottery if that smile was anything to go by. Chiron had a grim face as if something bad had happened as Mr. D just went back to shuffling those cards in his hands like nothing important had happened.**

 **Andi's inner protocols activated.**

 **"Wha? Daughter of who? Where? How? Potato?!"**

"It was amusing the first time around, but now I wonder why her mind went to potato during this. Incoherent gibberish followed by passing out would be more appropriate," Dionysus said analytically.

 **Yeah, her mind was shorting out.**

 _ **I**_ _ **think I need a fainting couch please**_

"See? She agrees with me."

… _ **Okay, where did that come from?**_ **Andi thought to herself as she tried to blink away her confusion at what happened.**

 **Everyone stood up and she heard whispers behind her from the kids around her, but she didn't listen to them.**

 **Andi looked at Chiron and hoped that her face was suitably screaming 'Help me!' very loudly. She was freaking out and needed some help. Her heart was pounding once more like a jackrabbit as her palms felt like they were sweating from how nervous she was.**

 **Thankfully the man in the wheelchair understood and spoke calmly to her, "Andromeda, please, come and sit. All will be explained." He said soothingly as she shakily nodded and took the seat next to him.**

 **He motioned for Percy as well, and the boy took the seat next to Mr. D, who looked at them with bloodshot eyes and heaved a great sigh. "Oh, I suppose I must say it. Welcome to Camp Half-Blood and you, welcome to the family." He said to Andi with mirth, like she was a joke or something.**

"Well, she is." Dionysus smirked.

"...You're rather chatty," Zeus said dryly. "Would you like to keep chatting for the next hundred years?"

"...No sir..."

"As I thought."

 **"There. Now, don't expect me to be glad to see you."**

 **"Uh, thanks." Percy said as he scooted a little farther away from him.**

 **Andi's mind was going over what she knew was going on and just took what she personally thought was the biggest shot in the dark, "You're a God." She blurted out to the tiger shirt man.**

"Darn, my money was on the Easter Bunny." Leo mumbled.

Dionysus glared at him while the other demigods (un)fortunate enough to deal with the god snickered.

 **"Well, look at that, at least one of them is sharp on their little toes." Mr. D said in a drawl.**

 **"Annabeth?" Chiron called to the blond girl.**

 **She came forward and the middle-aged man introduced them. "This young lady nursed you both back to health. We needed a bit more help from Apollo cabin for your wounds Andromeda, but she was still a great help. Annabeth, my dear, why don't you go check on Percy's bunk? We'll be putting him in cabin eleven for now. And if you can, some supplies for Andromeda for Cabin One."**

"Because it's a bank." Poseidon chuckled.

"It is _not_ a bank!" Zeus protested.

"...It's a bank." Jason mumbled while Thalia spoke freely.

Poseidon smirked victoriously while Zeus scowled at his children's betrayal.

 **"Um, thanks." Andi said to the girl who nodded back like it wasn't a problem. "Call me Andi sir, please." she said to the man in the wheelchair politely. She was British after all and taking refuge in being polite when things were going crazy was pretty ingrained in them. Plus she found her name to be a mouthful.**

 **Chiron gave her a kind smile and a small nod.**

 **Annabeth said, "Sure, Chiron." Her tone sounded excited as she looked at Andi. She looked like she was probably her age, being maybe a couple of inches taller, then again Andi was kinda short, and the other girl was a whole lot more athletic looking. So Andi might be wrong in her assessment. With her deep tan and her curly blond hair, she was almost exactly what the Brit thought a stereotypical American girl would look like,**

"That's true...except for the eyes," Percy said with a small smile.

 **except for her wicked looking eyes. They were a startling gray, like storm clouds; which the foreigner always loved to watch, but had this confident look in them that Andi herself often had. But Andi's eyes were kinda dead at the moment since she was far out of her comfort zone right now.**

 **Annabeth glanced at the Minotaur horn in Percy's hands, then back at him. Percy looked like he was expecting something from her.**

 **She said to him, "You drool in your sleep."**

"And thus, Percabeth began."

"Shut up, Piper." Annabeth grumbled with pink cheeks while Percy brooded at his snickering/giggling friends.

 **Andi cracked up, "Oh man, your face…" She trailed off into giggles at his dumbfounded face; it helped ease her mind a bit.**

 **Then the girl sprinted off down the lawn, her blond hair flying behind her.**

 **"So," Percy said, looking like he wanted to talk about anything other than his drool.**

"But it's so fascinating."

"Leo, not funny." Percy frowned at the snickering elf-like pyro.

"I beg to differ."

"Shut up, Thalia."

 **"You, uh, work here, Mr. Brunner?"**

 **"I thought his name was Chiron?" Andi spoke, pausing suddenly at the name as it finally clicked, "Wasn't that the guy who trained heroes?" she asked curiously.**

 **The man gave Andi a wide smile, "Indeed he did." He spoke with a small chuckle while Mr. D rolled his eyes, "Not Mr. Brunner," Chiron corrected Percy, "I'm afraid that was a pseudonym. You may call me Chiron."**

 **"Okay," said Percy, sounding totally confused. Andi was there with him. He looked at the director. "And Mr. D ... does that stand for something?"**

 **"Divine." Andi murmured somewhat loudly.**

"More like it stands for 'douche'," Apollo said with a snort.

"As they say today, talk to the hand, Apollo, because my face ain't hearing it."

"...Wow, you are ... _so_ very wrong." Apollo snickered.

 **Mr. D stopped shuffling the cards. He looked at Percy as if they boy had just swallowed a turkey whole. "Young man, names are powerful things. You don't just go around using them for no reason." He said as his gaze shifted to the girl a bit, as if her guess was right. Well, that he was a divine being and that wasn't his name.**

 **"Oh. Right. Sorry." Percy mumbled**

 **"I must say, Percy," Chiron broke in, "I'm glad to see you alive. It's been a long time since I've made a house call to a potential camper. I'd hate to think I've wasted my time."**

 **"House call?" Percy asked as Andi listened, surprisingly patient.**

"Considering who her father is, yes. That is surprising." Hera mused.

Zeus sent his wife a betrayed glare while his siblings, immortal children and even his _mother_ laughed at him.

The demigods were wise enough to keep their snickering stifled under hands or by biting their lips.

 **"My year at Yancy Academy, to instruct you. We have satyrs at most schools, of course, keeping a lookout. We have fewer though in Britain, which is why we likely missed you Andi."**

 **"What, a satyr?" Andi asked in confusion. Chiron merely mentioned towards Grover, causing the girl to look at the aforementioned boy. He nodded and took off his hi-tops and showed his hooves sticking out of his jeans.**

 **"Yes, Grover alerted me as soon as he met Percy." Turning to address Percy directly, Chiron continued. "He sensed you were something special, so I decided to come upstate. I convinced the other Latin teacher to ... ah, take a leave of absence." Chiron explained.**

 **"And me? How do I fit into all of this?" Andi cut in impatiently.**

"Again, much like Zeus."

"Demeter!" Zeus glared at his sister, while she smirked back at him.

He was, after all, partly to blame for her daughter's marriage to their brother.

 **Chiron gave a frown, "We had no idea about you, Andi. If we knew who you were...we would have brought you to safety here at camp far sooner. Though I must say that even without any proper training, you still performed admirably. Slaying the Drakon? Excellent job my dear, most impressive." The man complimented and Andi smiled a little at the praise.**

 **"I kinda wish I had." she muttered honestly, trying to put her head around all this. She didn't know why, but she just felt this place was better than her magical school, that she felt more at peace here or something.**

 **"You came to Yancy just to teach me?" Percy asked, veering the conversation back in his direction.**

"That sounds _very_ familiar." Hestia mused playfully.

"Not you too!" Zeus groaned while Poseidon brooded.

"I don't do that...er, well, I haven't done that lately...no more than fifty years, tops."

 **Chiron nodded. "Honestly, I wasn't sure about you at first. We contacted your mother; let her know we were keeping an eye on you in case you were ready for Camp Half-Blood. But you still had so much to learn. Andi, if we had known about you, we would have contacted your family as well of course."**

 **"They are** _ **not**_ **my** _ **family**_ **." Andi spat out with venom as the wind started to circle around her in response to the sheer hatred she felt for those** _ **things**_ **.**

 **Chiron gained this look as if he had heard this all before and nodded to Andi while holding up his hand in an effort to calm her. It somewhat did, but her fists were still clenched tightly.**

 **"Nevertheless, you both made it here alive, one from the other side of the ocean no less. And that's always the first test."**

"Using magic to survive a monster attack. Yeah, that's fair. I only had to travel the country for who knows how long before Grover found me," Thalia said bitterly.

Zeus gained a small grimace and Jason rubbed his sister's arm soothingly.

 **"You do know how to play pinochle?" Mr. D asked abruptly as he eyed them suspiciously.**

 **"I'm afraid not," Percy said.**

 **"I'm afraid not, sir," he said to the boy.**

 **"Sir," Percy repeated with a frown, maybe D stood for Demanding?**

" _Douche_." Apollo sang, a guitar riff appearing from nowhere.

"Yes, thank you for that, Apollo." Rhea commended her grandson dryly.

"Anytime, Gram!"

 **"I do, sir. It's the one with the large hand and you make combinations, yes?" Andi asked to be sure since it had been a while since she played.**

 **Mr. D nodded, "Yes it is, and at least you have some manners." He said, as if mocking Percy, "Well, it is, along with gladiator fighting and Pac-Man, one of the greatest games ever invented by humans. I would expect all civilized young men and women to know the rules."**

 **"I'm sure the boy can learn," Chiron said.**

 **Andi's breaking point hit, "Can, can we talk about what is going on? Please? I'm kinda losing it here." she said while alternatively looking at Chiron or Mr. D. She just wanted to know what the hell was happening!**

 **Mr. D looked like he wanted to laugh, "A child of Zeus saying please, amazing." She heard him mutter, "We sure she's his?"**

"It is worrying." Hades nodded.

Zeus scowled at the god of the underworld.

 **The sky rumbled a bit.**

"Temper, temper, Zeus."

"You are _not_ one to be saying that, Hera." Zeus growled at his wife.

 **Chiron just gave the director a deadpan stare.**

 **"What she said." Percy spoke, looking for answers as well, "What am I doing here? Mr. Brun-Chiron-why would you go to Yancy Academy just to teach me?"**

 **Mr. D snorted. "I asked the same question."**

"Never did get that answer," Dionysus said thoughtfully.

 **The camp director dealt the cards. Grover stood off to the side, nervous as can be. Chiron smiled at them sympathetically, "Percy," he said. "Did your mother tell you nothing?"**

 **"She said..." Percy thought for a beat, "She told me she was afraid to send me here, even though my father had wanted her to. She said that once I was here, I probably couldn't leave. She wanted to keep me close to her."**

 **"Typical," Mr. D said. "That's how they usually get killed.**

"...He's right..." Hermes said, a pained look on his face as he did.

"True." Apollo nodded solemnly.

"Humph, why you're both so broken up, I'll never understand." Dionysus grumbled.

"We're not broken up, it's physically painful to agree with you on something concerning demigods. It's like agreeing with Ares' logic," Hermes said. He tapped the side of his head. "Something up here starts to hurt. A lot."

"Screw you, Half-Pint." Ares grumbled.

"The nerve!" Dionysus huffed.

 **How about you young lady?" he asked the girl.**

 **Andi held her cards and looked at them a bit, but her mind wasn't really into it, "My mother died when I was one sir…but," she said, her mind turning, "If what I'm figuring out is right, then the man I thought was my dad, was my step-father…right?" she asked shakily. She didn't want to accept what she was piecing together, because if it were true then her whole life has been a lie. Instead, she was desperately hoping all this was just some very real dream.**

 **"Bingo." The god replied with all the enthusiasm of a sleeping cat.**

"Way to crush children's dreams, D. Give me some skin!" Ares grinned, holding his hand up.

"...I wouldn't touch your hands with a ten foot pole _while_ I was drunk, Ares." Dionysus grumbled.

Ares scowled and let his arm fall. "Dick."

"He said it, not me!" Apollo was quick to point out.

 **And there it was. What little innocence she had left in her, after all her misadventures at Hogwarts and her 'childhood', that little hope she had for the perfect Potter family that she'd never know, were crushed in an instant, "I fold." Andi choked out while shakily placing the cards down, looking at her hands as the wind that had been circling around her unnaturally for some time now picked up even more speed.**

 **Chiron gave her a sad smile, "I am sorry you had to reach such a revelation on your own and without warning Andi." He said comfortingly, but the girl was numb and ignored him. Forcing the tears that may have spilled back, she refused to cry like a child.**

 **She had never been a child; she didn't have a** _ **childhood**_ **, period. She was a tough girl who had to learn her life lessons the hard way. Whenever she had been pushed down in the past, she had always stood up and kept moving onward. This, this was just another bump in the road was all, yep, just another bump…the size of a freaking mountain.**

"Good luck getting over that alone," Leo said with a snort.

 **Andi's breath was shaky as Mr. D asked if Percy was going to bid, the boy didn't know how and Mr. D impatiently explained how to do so.**

 **"I'm afraid there's too much to tell," Chiron said to them. "I'm afraid our usual orientation film won't be sufficient."**

"He's afraid of a lot of things, isn't he?" Ares asked with a smirk.

"...It's happened...Ares has made a pun based off of sentence structure..." Athena mumbled in horrified awe.

"We're doomed..." Hermes agreed.

"Eh, we've got a bit longer. Don't go freaking out just yet," Apollo said with a nonchalant wave of his hand.

Ares lost any anger that may have been building up as he looked at Apollo in confusion. "Wait, what do you mean?"

"...Er, nothing. Annabeth, read. Read now."

 **"Orientation film?" Percy asked.**

 **"Can I go take a walk or something?" Andi asked while her mind was in a haze as she fiddled with her hands. She looked as though she was going to hyperventilate soon.**

 **"I'm afraid there are still some important things to discuss Andi," Chiron said to her gently before looking at both newcomers, "Well, you two. You know your friend Grover is a satyr. You know"-he pointed to the horn in the shoe box-"that you, Percy, have killed the Minotaur. No small feat, either, lad. What you may not know is that great powers are at work in your life, something that Andi has mostly figured out. Gods-the forces you call the Greek gods-are very much alive."**

"And old." Percy nodded.

"Percy Jackson!" Rhea chided her grandson. "It isn't polite to speak of someone's age."

"What? I just said the _gods_ were old." Percy pointed out.

"...Ouch, Percy. Ouch." Poseidon mumbled, brooding at his son's bluntness whereas the rest of his family glared at him.

 **And there was her second confirmation, great. Andi clenched at the fabric of her shorts tightly. She was trying her best to calm down, and it was** _ **not**_ **working.**

 **Percy stared at everyone around the table, waiting for someone to say that everything was all a joke.** _ **Trust me; I really want it to be one, too.**_ **Andi thought bitterly.**

 **But all they got was Mr. D yelling, "Oh, a royal marriage. Trick! Trick!" He cackled as he tallied up his points.**

"I still don't understand that game," Percy said with an exasperated sigh.

"Humph, it would do the camp some good for you all to learn it," Dionysus said snobbishly.

"Then why don't you _teach_ them?" Athena suggested.

"And spend more time with them than I already have to? Pass."

 **"Mr. D," Grover asked timidly, "If you're not going to eat it, could I have your Diet Coke can?"**

 **"Eh? Oh, all right."**

 **Grover bit a huge shard out of the empty aluminum can and chewed it mournfully.**

 **"Wait," Percy told Chiron. "You're telling me there's such a thing as God."**

 _ **There's one playing cards with us!**_ **Andi shouted in her head, how could this kid not feel it?!**

 **"Well, now," Chiron said. "God-capital G, God. That's a different matter altogether. We shan't deal with the metaphysical."**

"...Does He exist?" Percy asked. "That was pretty vague –"

"It's complicated, Percy." Poseidon interrupted firmly. "Christo-Judaism is a subject that we don't approach here on Olympus."

"Like the Egyptians, Norse, Meso-American-"

"Yes! Confound it, Poseidon, keep your son from reminding us that _many_ of the sacred laws were broken by Hades' daughter!" Zeus snarled.

"That only happened because the rest of you are so high on your horses you refused to negotiate and just took their presence as an insult," Hades said with a scoff. "I remember Jupiter's tantrum when Rome began to follow the metaphysical–"

"Silence!" Zeus snapped.

 **"Metaphysical? But you were just talking about-" Percy started, but Chiron cut him off.**

 **"Ah, gods, plural, as in, great beings that control the forces of nature and human endeavors: the immortal gods of Olympus. That's a smaller matter."**

 **"Smaller?"**

 **"Sounds less complicated than the bible."**

"We like to keep it that way." Apollo nodded. "Sure, some prophecies can be a bit vague, but they're supposed to be. Unlike that magic little book the mortals seem to love. Dunno why, the series has a crappy ending."

"...Apollo, what have we told you about referring to other religion as fictional works?" Hera asked with a frown of annoyance on her face.

"Not to do it...in public."

"Oh, but privately it's fine, Hera?" Rhea asked. A small frown of her own was plastered on her face as she glanced at her daughter, who betrayed nothing. "I see..."

 **Andi stated, her breathing finally back at a normal pace from calming herself. Somewhat, all the jumble of emotions that she had been feeling as the revelations kept coming were just suppressed for now. She knew, with absolute certainty, that it would explode out of her soon enough, but for now at least it was contained. Mr. D snorted in amusement at that one.**

 **"Yes, quite." Chiron answered to both of the kids, "The gods we discussed in Latin class."**

 **"Zeus," Percy said. "Hera. Apollo. You mean them."**

 **And there it was again-distant thunder on a cloudless day.**

 **"Young man," frowned Mr. D, "I would really be less casual about throwing those names around, if I were you."**

"Ah, he can use my name. I love it when people say my name! It's why I sponsored that song." Apollo grinned widely.

 **"But they're stories," Percy said. "They're-myths, to explain lightning and the seasons and stuff. They're what people believed before there was science."**

 **"Bad wording there, Percy." Andi muttered with a grimace and looked to the 'Myth' across from her.**

 **"Science!" Mr. D scoffed. "And tell me, Perseus Jackson"-Percy flinched-"what will people think of your 'science' two thousand years from now?" Mr. D continued. "Hmm? They will call it primitive mumbo jumbo. That's what. Oh, I love mortals-they have absolutely no sense of perspective. They think they've come so-o-o far. And have they, Chiron? Look at this boy and tell me."**

"Eh, give them a few more millennia to clean the place up a bit, D."

"Shut up, Hermes."

 **"I mean, magic makes science go out the window. And I know Medea was real for a fact, and she was of god blood. So was Circe, an immortal or something, right?" Andi asked Chiron, who nodded, "So gods don't sound that far out there. Maybe a bit since I'm still trying to wrap my head around it…" the girl trailed off, maybe questioning her sanity in light of all this. It was like entering the magical world all over again…but about a good twenty times harder to process.**

"We're _always_ harder."

"ARES!"

"Worth it." The war god sniggered.

 **Mr. D rolled his eyes, "At least one of them gets it." He scoffed, before taking a second look at his hand and scowling at the cards, looking for all intents and purposes highly offended at the scraps of paper.**

 **Percy kept his mouth shut and looked at Andi as if she had gone crazy. Been there, done that. Grover was chewing on his can, keeping his mouth shut too.**

 **"Percy," Chiron said, "You may choose to believe or not, but the fact is that immortal means immortal. Can you imagine that for a moment, never dying? Never fading? Existing, just as you are, for all time?"**

 **Percy looked like he was going to say something, but shut his mouth for a second, before asking, "You mean, whether people believed in you or not," he said carefully.**

 **"Exactly," Chiron agreed. "If you were a god, how would you like being called a myth, an old story to explain lightning?**

"It's offensive." Zeus huffed.

"Well, in a sense, it does keep us immortal," Athena said. "Story-telling for mortals has kept their wits sharp since they learned to speak formally, and as the saying goes, history repeats for those who forget. Mortals haven't forgotten us, as they continue to tell our stories, learn of us in greater detail and convert us into forms of entertainment."

"You're welcome, by the way," Apollo said dryly. He crossed his arms and huffed. "I'm _never_ thanked for making you all sign that Public Domain waiver."

"...I don't thank you because of that damned Disney film." Poseidon grumbled.

Hades smirked. "Under the sea."

"Shut up."

 **What if I told you, Perseus Jackson, that someday people would call you a myth, just created to explain how little boys can get over losing their mothers?"**

 **Andi bristled at that and glared at the man, could he really say anything crueler than that? A mother's sacrifice was nothing to scoff at! Her own had done the same and she was proud to call Lily Potter her mother even if Andi barely remembered anything about her.**

 **"I wouldn't like it. But I don't believe in gods." Percy said.**

"I was young and stupid, let's leave it in the past!" Percy growled at Nico when he made to speak.

"...Stupid-er. You were stupid- _er_." Thalia corrected with a smirk on her face.

Percy glared at her.

"He was more naïve than he was stupid," Annabeth said in her boyfriend's defense.

"And it took him how long to realize you liked him?"

"...Aren't you a Hunter?"

"Ladies, let's focus on the story," Rhea said before a verbal spat could begin between the two teenage girls.

 **"Oh, you'd better," Mr. D murmured. "Before one of them incinerates you."**

 **Grover said, "P-please, sir. He's just lost his mother. He's in shock."**

 **"A lucky thing, too," Mr. D grumbled, playing a card. "Bad enough I'm confined to this miserable job, working with boys who don't even believe."**

"It's not like you have to watch Peter Pan and the Lost Boys, Dionysus," Hestia said with a frown.

"Might as well...then I'd find some rum nearby that Captain Hook fellow..." Dionysus mumbled.

 **He waved his hand and a goblet appeared on the table, as if the sunlight had bent, momentarily, and woven the air into glass. The goblet filled itself with red wine.**

 **Percy's jaw dropped, Andi blinked in surprise at the elegant conjuring, but Chiron hardly looked up.**

 **"Mr. D," he warned, "your restrictions."**

 **Mr. D looked at the wine and feigned surprise.**

 **"Dear me." He looked at the sky and yelled, "Old habits!**

"My ass that's an old habit," Zeus said with a scowl. "You made that wine deliberately."

"It wasn't intentional, I swear!"

"Humph, I'm sure."

 **Sorry!"**

 **More thunder… That's him, right? Her** _ **father**_ **? Andi balked at the thought.**

 **Mr. D waved his hand again, and the wineglass changed into a fresh can of Diet Coke. He sighed unhappily, popped the top of the soda, and went back to his card game.**

"Ah, c'mon, D. It's refreshing." Hermes smirked.

"Bah, it's tolerable." Dionysus mumbled.

 **Chiron winked at them. "Mr. D offended his father a while back, took a fancy to a wood nymph who had been declared off-limits."**

 **"A wood nymph," Percy repeated, still staring at the Diet Coke can like it came from outer space.**

"Well, he's not entirely wrong. I did manifest it warm, had to cool it off somehow." Dionysus joked.

"...You guys can't do that...right?" Leo asked.

"Oh, believe me, Linus, we could if we so wished."

 **"Yes," Mr. D confessed. "Father loves to punish me. The first time, Prohibition. Ghastly! Absolutely horrid ten years! The second time-well, she really was pretty, and I couldn't stay away-the second time, he sent me here. Half-Blood Hill. Summer camp for brats like you. 'Be a better influence,' he told me. 'Work with youths rather than tearing them down.' Ha. Absolutely unfair."**

 **Mr. D sounded about six years old, and was pouting like a little kid.**

 **"And ..." Percy stammered, "Your father is ..."**

 **"Mr. Zap-Happy himself." Andi said in a low tone, but the sky still gave off a far off thunder boom, as if she was heard.**

"She was heard." Poseidon smirked. "That's him showing his disapproval."

"Very subtle." Hades nodded.

"Like you two are any better." Zeus grunted.

 **"Di immortales, Chiron," Mr. D said. "I thought you taught this boy the basics. My father is Zeus, of course. Same as the girl here." He said pointing to Andi.**

 **Percy looked as though he was thinking really hard, the daughter of Zeus was afraid he would pop a blood vessel any moment before he spoke up, "You're Dionysus," the boy said. "The god of wine."**

 **Mr. D rolled his eyes. "What do they say, these days, Grover? Do the children say, 'Well, duh!'?"**

 **"Y-yes, Mr. D."**

 **"Then, well, duh! Percy Jackson. Did you think I was Aphrodite, perhaps?"**

"My least favorite line," Aphrodite said with an offended huff. "As if I'd be so dreadfully absentminded to wear one of _his_ animal print shirts."

"So you _admit_ that you're airheaded?" Artemis asked innocently. She smirked when Aphrodite glared at her. "You did say that you tend to be absentminded. Something has to fill the space between your ears."

"Oh, be quiet, you deer poop sniffer!"

 **Andi cringed at the very thought.**

 **"You're a god." Percy said.**

 **"Yes, child."**

 **"A god. You."**

 **"Yes!" she groaned at Percy, "Have you not been listened to my comments, at all?" the girl asked him, but he ignored her in favor at staring at Mr. D…why that twerpy Yank!**

 **Mr. D gave Percy this hardened stare and the boy started to cringe a bit.**

"Well, when a mortal first thinks of a god nowadays they tend to think of Hugh Jackman, Chris Helmsworth or Liam Neeson," Apollo said with a small smirk. "Or Tristan McLean."

Piper groaned into her hand while Aphrodite sighed happily.

Dionysus glared at Apollo. "And what does that have to do with the scenario?"

"D, when do you _ever_ look like one of those guys?"

"...Screw you, Apollo."

"Nah, I'm not into winos."

 **Andi looked to Chiron, "Is he allowed to invade our minds?" she asked him in a whisper, not liking the thought of the God of** _ **Madness**_ **, now that she remembered some stories, being allowed to do that all willy nilly-like.**

 **Chiron shook his head and said that Mr. D wouldn't do that. So she summed it up that Percy just pissed the god off, neat for him.**

… _ **What he gets for ignoring me,**_ **Andi thought with a tiny huff.**

 **"Would you like to test me, child?" the god said quietly.**

 **"No. No, sir." Percy stammered out, with a bit of panic in his eyes.**

"At least Peter has _some_ sense of self-preservation," Dionysus said with a snort.

 **He turned back to his card game. "I believe I win."**

 **"Not quite, Mr. D," Chiron said. He set down a straight, tallied the points, and said, "The game goes to me."**

 **Mr. D narrowed his eyes at Chiron like he was going to do something, but instead he just sighed through his nose, as if he were used to being beaten by the handicapped man. He got up, and Grover stood at attention.**

 **"I'm tired," Mr. D announced,**

"Thanks for the heads up." Hermes rolled his eyes. "Geez, you're definitely our brother. Has to make a show out of everything."

"I was merely giving a reason for why I didn't smite the cheeky bastard then and there," Dionysus said with a huff.

 **"I believe I'll take a nap before the sing-along tonight. But first, Grover, we need to talk, again, about your less-than-perfect performance on this assignment."**

 **Grover's face beaded with sweat, "Y-yes, sir."**

 **Mr. D turned to us. "Cabin Eleven, Percy Jackson. And mind your manners. Cabin One for you Andi Potter."**

 **He swept into the farmhouse, Grover leaving Andi's bag as he followed miserably.**

 **"Will Grover be okay?" Percy asked Chiron, looking concerned.**

 **"He looks like he's walking to death row." Andi frowned, feeling sorry for the satyr.**

"She shouldn't. I've never had to punish a satyr before," Hades said dryly. He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "If I _could_ though...I think I would put a freshly cooked mutton before them. Force them to smell it for a good century or so and then, as their mouths water, force them to eat it."

"...Aren't there already cannibalistic satyrs?" Poseidon asked.

"Yes, but they're eating a goat, Poseidon, not another satyr."

"...Wow, that is _cruel_." Poseidon mused.

"Please, this is just off the top of my head. Give me more time, a millennia or so, and you'd be stark white with what I could come up with."

 **Chiron nodded, though he looked a bit troubled. "Old Dionysus isn't really mad. He just hates his job. He's been...ah, grounded, I guess you would say, and he can't stand waiting another century before he's allowed to go back to Olympus."**

 **"Mount Olympus," Percy said. "You're telling me there really is a palace there?"**

 **"Also a volcano on Mars." The child of lightning pointed out, remembering all the astronomy classes she had at Hogwarts.**

"Which I nominated as a prime location, but _no-o-o_ , everyone has to be closer to earth to work their magic. Phft, what a crock." Ares scoffed.

"If you'd like to go to Mars, Ares, we'd not fault you for it. Just stay there for a decade or two, get some rock samples, and obstruct any mortal space programs." Athena smirked at her brother.

"...If grandmother weren't here, I'd kick your as-butt."

"Please, we've had that fight before, and you lost. Terribly, mind you."

"You got lucky! The Trojans were distracting me!"

"Uh-huh, whatever helps you feel better, Ares."

Percy blinked and looked at his girlfriend. "Your Mom beat Ares?"

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Duh."

 **Chiron smiled in amusement at her, "Yes, that too." He said before turning to Percy, "Well now, there's Mount Olympus in Greece. One on Mars just as Andi stated. And then there's the home of the gods, the convergence point of their powers, which did indeed use to be on Mount Olympus. It's still called Mount Olympus, out of respect to the old ways, but the palace moves, Percy, just as the gods do."**

 **"You mean the Greek gods are here? Like...in America?" Percy asked, astounded.**

"God bless this country," Apollo said, he and Hermes saluting with tearful smiles on their faces.

"I'm proud t' be 'Merican." Hermes choked up a sob.

"You're both a couple of hams." Artemis groaned into her hand.

"The purest of 'Merican hams!" They returned proudly.

 **"Well, certainly. The gods move with the heart of the West."**

 **"The what?" they both asked, clueless about the last bit of that statement.**

 **"Come now. What you call 'Western civilization'. Do you think it's just an abstract concept? No, it's a living force. A collective consciousness that has burned bright for thousands of years. The gods are part of it. You might even say they are the source of it, or at least, they are tied so tightly to it that they couldn't possibly fade, not unless all of Western civilization was obliterated.**

"...But, wait, didn't Pan...?" Leo trailed off.

"He was a nature god and as Man moved away from nature, his connection became weak," Rhea explained while Hermes looked downcast.

 **The fire started in Greece. Then, as you well know-or as I hope you know, since you passed my course Percy-the heart of the fire moved to Rome, and so did the gods. Oh, different names, perhaps-Jupiter for Zeus, Venus for Aphrodite, and so on-but the same forces, the same gods."**

"Not entirely true, but...then again he didn't mention Camp Jupiter," Jason said.

 **"And then they died."**

 **Andi snorted, "They're gods, immortal." She said to boy, was he not getting it?**

"I meant they fell out of style, and y'know, in the eyes of mortals, became stories," Percy said weakly when everyone looked at him.

 **"Died? No. Did the West die? The gods simply moved, to Germany,**

"Hades was a big hit there in the thirties and forties."

"Zeus, be nice."

"...Yes mother."

 **to France,**

"Worst. Century. Ever." Artemis grumbled.

Aphrodite tittered happily, her eyes glazed over as she became lost in thought.

 **to Spain, for a while.**

"Now that was fun." Hephaestus chuckled. "I believe that is where I discovered my fondness for the language."

"Yeah, but, my Spanish is different than that," Leo said.

"Granted, but learning a language is like tuning a car..."

"And here we go with the car analogies...You know, before this it was like 'forging a sword'," Ares said with a poor impression of Hephaestus.

The smith huffed and sat back in his throne. "Let's see if I ever fix your ride for the next decade or so."

 **Wherever the flame was brightest, the gods were there. They spent several centuries in Andi's homeland of England. All you need to do is look at the architecture. People do not forget the gods. Every place they've ruled, for the last three thousand years, you can see them in paintings, in statues, on the most important buildings. And yes, Percy, of course they are now in your United States. Look at your symbol, the eagle of Zeus. Look at the statue of Prometheus in Rockefeller Center, the Greek facades of your government buildings in Washington. I defy you to find any American city where the Olympians are not prominently displayed in multiple places. Like it or not-and believe me, plenty of people weren't very fond of Rome, either-America is now the heart of the flame.**

"...Wait, people don't like America? Why!?" Nico asked sarcastically.

"The policy of policing the world was fine and dandy until they bombed Japan," Frank said with a snort. "Now everyone, even the people, are afraid in the back of their minds of what the next world war will be like."

"C'mon, World War III in the twenty-first century. Then World War IV a few years later! Swords and shields well be popular again!" Ares grinned.

 **It is the great power of the West. And so Olympus is here. And we are here."**

 _ **Well, that was rather informative,**_ **Andi thought to herself. So the gods are tied to the belief of the people themselves.** _ **Guess gods do need us wee mortals after all.**_

"Not really, we could always start from scratch-!"

"No extinction," Zeus said firmly with a glare aimed at the war-hungry god.

"Aww...But you did it!"

"They were Father's followers. They had to go."

 **"Who are you, Chiron? Who...who am I?" Percy asked in a lost tone.**

"Who am I...Who am I? ...Jean Val-Shutting up." Apollo mumbled when Artemis held an arrow to his throat.

 **"I got an idea of who I am, but I'm still confused." Andi said with a frown to the man in the wheelchair.**

 **Chiron smiled. He shifted his weight as if he were going to get up out of his wheelchair, which was weird since he was handicapped, right?**

 **"Who are you?" he mused. "Well, that's the question we all want answered, isn't it? But for now, we should get you a bunk in Cabin Eleven and Andi settled in Cabin One. There will be new friends to meet. And plenty of time for lessons tomorrow. Besides, there will be s'mores at the campfire tonight, and I simply adore chocolate."**

 _ **And who doesn't?**_ **Andi asked herself mentally.**

"Are we sure that there's no Aphrodite within her?" Artemis mused with a smirk.

"Hey! Chocolate is delectable!"

"Uh-huh, whatever you say, Love Freak."

 **And then he did rise from his wheelchair. But there was something odd about the way he did it. His blanket fell away from his legs, but the legs didn't move. His waist kept getting longer, rising above his belt. At first, Andi thought he was wearing very long, white velvet knickers, but as he kept rising out of the chair, taller than any man, she realized that the velvet underwear wasn't knickers; it was the front of an animal, muscle and sinew under coarse white fur. And the wheelchair wasn't a chair. It was some kind of container, an enormous box on wheels, and it must've been a magic item, because it was able to hide all that. A leg came out, long and knobby-kneed, with a huge polished hoof. Then another front leg, then hindquarters, and then the box was empty, nothing but a metal shell with a couple of fake human legs attached.**

"...I should probably modify that a little bit," Hephaestus said thoughtfully.

"No! I will!" Leo cut in pleadingly. "Put some missiles on it, maybe a rocket or something-!"

"...Why would Chiron need that?" Percy asked, very disturbed by the mumbles of the resident pyromaniac.

"Duh. Because who _doesn't_ want a tricked out wheelchair?"

 **Andi stared at the white-bottomed centaur that had just sprung from the wheelchair. Certainly more majestic than the ones she's met, why more civilized too with the refined air around him.**

 **"What a relief," the centaur said. "I'd been cooped up in there so long, my fetlocks had fallen asleep. Now, come, Percy Jackson, Andi Potter. Let's meet the other campers."**

"And so the story begins...er, well, the exploration of Camp begins..." Frank trailed off. He held his hand out. "I'll read."

"Smart." Annabeth smiled and the book teleported to Frank's hands. "...Okay, that's really handy."

* * *

 **REVIEW!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

 **Re-Reading The Ever Twisting Winds: The Lightning Thief**

 **Chapter Three: I Sorta Explode**

* * *

"Well, I can only wonder what happens with that chapter." Frank mused.

"Ah, a Thalia-worthy meltdown."

"Zeus worthy is more accurate, Percy," Poseidon corrected his son. Percy nodded and the two ignored their respective brother/Uncle and niece/cousin.

 **They had a nice tour, though both Percy and Andi were careful not to walk behind the centaur. No telling what accidents even a few centuries old horse could have, right?**

"...Gross..." The demigods grimaced at the thought.

"I've seen it happen. It was very amusing." Dionysus snickered.

 **When they passed the volleyball pit, several of the campers nudged each other. One pointed to the Minotaur horn that Percy was carrying.**

 **Another said, "That's him."**

 **Others were pointing at Andi. It made her uncomfortable if the gusts of wind coming off her were anything to go by.**

 **"Big Three." Andi heard in the whispers and then something about an Oath? What was that about? The girl wondered as she tried to calm the new nerves that were popping up from being stared at so much. Sure she loved being in the spotlight most of the time, but this wasn't people paying attention to her but them paying attention to** _ **who**_ **she was. It was like her first day at Hogwarts all over again, except instead of being seen as the Girl-Who-Lived, now she was the Daughter of Zeus. She hated it, neither sort of attention focused in any way on her as a person.**

 **Most of the campers were older than her, Andi had noticed. Their satyr friends were bigger than Grover, all of them walking around in orange CAMP HALF-BLOOD T-shirts, with nothing else to cover their bare furry bottom halves. They all stared at the two black haired kids, like they were expected to do something.**

"Fly!"

"Jason, shut up." Thalia grumbled.

 **Andi veered her head to look back at the farmhouse. It was a lot bigger than she had realized. Four stories tall, sky blue with white trim, like an upscale seaside resort. She was taking a look at a brass eagle weather vane on top when something caught her eye, a shadow in the top window of the house, from within what she suspected was the attic. Something had moved the curtain quickly, and she got a chill as though she was being watched.**

 **"What's up there?" Percy asked Chiron, he seemed to have seen the shadow too.**

 **The trainer looked where the boy was pointing, and his smile faded. "Just the attic."**

 **"Somebody lives there?"**

 **"No," he said with finality. "Not a single living thing."**

"Eh, he's half-right," Hades said dryly.

"She would be alive if someone didn't curse her."

"Hermes, are you griping?" Rhea asked.

"No Granny."

"I didn't think so.

 **"A ghost?" Andi asked, she knew some ghosts, they lived at her school.**

"And they kneel before me," Nico said with a smirk.

"Beware the Ghost King," Percy said in a poor imitation of a character dubbed 'Box Ghost'.

"...Shut up, Jackson."

 **The trainer didn't answer, "Come along you two," Chiron hedged, his lighthearted tone now a little forced. "Lots to see."**

 **They walked through the strawberry fields, where campers were picking bushels of berries while a satyr played a tune on a reed pipe.**

 **Chiron told them the camp grew a nice crop for export to New York restaurants and Mount Olympus. "It pays our expenses," he explained. "And the strawberries take almost no effort."**

 **Apparently Mr. D had this effect on fruit-bearing plants: they just went crazy when he was around.**

"Ah, very punny," Apollo said with a smirk.

"Far better than that Elizabethan wit. That was a difficult task to follow whilst drunk," Dionysus said with a grimace.

"Hey, it got easier. At least it wasn't in German anymore."

"True, English has evolved wonderously."

"…That's not a word," Athena said dryly.

"It is now."

 **Chiron explained, it worked best with wine grapes, but Mr. D was restricted from growing those, so they grew strawberries instead.**

 **They watched the satyr playing his pipe. His music was causing lines of bugs to leave the strawberry patch in every direction. Andi had asked what type of magic they were using and the famed archer informed her that it was woodland magic, something only Satyrs and other nature spirits can do. That reminded Andi of that Grover guy, and left her idly wondering what kind of scolding he was getting from the God of Wine.**

 **"Grover won't get in too much trouble, will he?" Percy asked Chiron, bringing the girl out of her thoughts. "I mean...he was a good protector. Really."**

"He saved me from many a bad enchilada." Percy nodded.

"Truly, the hero the wild deserves," Piper said with a smirk.

 **Chiron sighed. He took off his tweed jacket and draped it over his horse's back like a horse blanket. "Grover has big dreams, Percy. Perhaps bigger than are reasonable. To reach his goal, he must first demonstrate great courage by succeeding as a keeper, finding a new camper and bringing them safely to Half-Blood Hill."**

 **"But he did that!" Percy argued quickly.**

 **"I might agree with you," Chiron said. "But it is not my place to judge. Dionysus and the Council of Cloven Elders must decide.**

"The Cloven Elders are biased," Annabeth said dryly.

"Aren't we all?" Hermes asked.

"No." Zeus grunted.

"Liar, liar, pants on fire," Apollo said.

 **I'm afraid they might not see this assignment as a success. After all, Grover lost you in New York. Then there's the unfortunate...ah...** _ **fate**_ **of your mother. And the fact that Grover was unconscious when you dragged him over the property line. The council might question whether this shows any courage on Grover's part."**

 **"He'll get a second chance, won't he?" Percy asked with guilt in his eyes, upset about his friend.**

 **Chiron winced. "I'm afraid that was Grover's second chance, Percy."**

 **Andi's brow was knitted in thought, "His first assignment…they died, right?"**

"Almost, then someone cheated."

"I didn't cheat!" Zeus glared at Hades, who seemed dour at the thought of his niece surviving.

"You technically cheated." Poseidon pointed out.

"Whose side are you on?"

"No one's, but I'm leaning towards Hades. That was blatant interference, however, I have no room to speak considering my, uh, own little secret," Poseidon said, aiming a look at Percy.

 **she asked the centaur. That was the best explanation for the radical reaction that Grover had gotten.**

 **Chiron's long face was the only answer she got, but it spoke volumes, "Olympus knows, I advised him to wait longer before trying again. He's still so small for his age..."**

 **"How old is he?" Percy wondered.**

 **"Oh, twenty-eight." Chiron answered with a simple shrug.**

 **Andi raised an eyebrow with a skeptical look, "Say what now?"**

 **"And he's in sixth grade?" Percy exclaimed in mild shock.**

"Wow, expectations must be high for those schools," Leo said with a surprised whistle.

 **"Satyrs mature half as fast as humans. Grover has been the equivalent of a middle school student for the past six years."**

 **"That's horrible." Percy shuddered.**

 **"Imagine going through puberty twice as long." The daughter of Zeus shivered at the thought alone. She wouldn't wish that on anyone, she was still in the boys are gross phase of her life and so couldn't really speak from experience. But staying in a state of major hormonal change for twice as long was not something she wanted to go through.**

"Well, they are spirits of lust and wild emotions," Aphrodite said thoughtfully. "Why do so many of them like Artemis, though?"

"Yes, thank you for that reminder." The Huntress drawled.

"It was a serious question."

"It's because she's, and I quote, 'so into nature,'" Thalia said, rolling her eyes and smirking. Grover was a riot.

 **"Quite," Chiron agreed. "At any rate, Grover is a late bloomer, even by satyr standards, and not yet very accomplished at woodland magic. Alas, he was anxious to pursue his dream. Perhaps now he will find some other career..."**

 **"That's not fair," Percy said with a frown. "Was Andi right, did they…?" he trailed off in a low tone.**

 **Chiron looked away quickly. "Let's move along, shall we?" he diverted, giving the kids a second confirmation that it was most likely the case.**

 **"Chiron," Percy spoke. "If the gods and Olympus and all that are real ..."**

"We are and it is." The Olympians smirked at the boy.

"I know! Stop enjoying this so much." Percy pouted.

 **"Yes, child?"**

 **"Does that mean the Underworld is real, too?" Percy asked in a hopefully tone. Andi gave the boy a sad look, he wanted his mum back. The girl understood, she wanted her mum back more than anything, but the dead needed to stay dead. It would go against the natural order if people just started to come back to life.**

"Eh, well, try telling that to Sissy," Nico said sourly.

Thalia's eye twitched. "I so could've gotten that boulder up."

"Yes, I'm sure you could."

 _ **Like Voldemort**_ **, the unpleasant thought of him just made Andi give a small growl even as the breeze around her picked up.**

 **Chiron's expression darkened.**

"He smelled her fart."

"Wow, Ares, really?" Athena asked dryly while the other goddesses gave the god of War a dull stare

Ares shrugged. "I thought it was funny."

 **"Yes, child." He paused, as if choosing his words carefully. "There is a place where spirits go after death. But for now...until we know more...I would urge you to put that out of your mind."**

 **"What do you mean, 'until we know more'?" Percy asked with a frown, shoulders slightly slumped.**

 **"Come, you two. Let's see the woods." Chiron said.**

"See, there, a tree! And look, beyond that – gasp, dare I think it – _more_ trees!" Hades gasped. "Ghastly."

"Oh, be silent, Hades." Demeter huffed.

 **As they got closer, the children realized how large the forest was. It took up at least a quarter of the valley, with trees so big that they reminded Andi of the huge trees in the Forbidden Forest back at Hogwarts.**

 **Chiron said, "The woods are stocked, if you care to try your luck, but go armed."**

 **"Stocked with what?" Percy asked. "Armed with what?"**

 **"Monsters, I'll bet. And weapons, what else?" Andi rolled her eyes at the boy. The guy was probably going to blow with everything that was being told to them. Now if Andi was honest, which by her own admission she rarely was, she was no different. She was still in shock, probably as much if not more so than Percy was. She was just better at hiding her feelings.**

"…She's _really_ good at hiding those feelings," Annabeth said thoughtfully. "She doesn't even seem like she's in shock. Percy doesn't either, but, well, he's Percy."

"...Ouch, Wise Girl."

"I say it with love, Seaweed Brain."

"Geez, you're both disgusting." Nico gagged.

"For once, we agree on something, Death Breath." Thalia grunted.

 **"You'll see. Capture the flag is Friday night. Do you have your own sword and shield?"**

 **"My own-?" Percy stammered.**

 **"No," Chiron said. "I don't suppose you do.**

"Uh, duh. He _just_ found out he was a demigod." Leo rolled his eyes.

"I think he was trying to lighten the air, Leo." Jason defended the centaur.

"Well, he fails miserably at it."

 **Andi has her knife, but I would not suggest using it in spars or friendly battles. I think a size five will do for you Percy, and a size four or perhaps three or two for you Andi, due to your petite size. I'll visit the armory later." He assured them.**

 **"Um, thanks?" Andi said awkwardly, not really sure what to say.**

"He's been sizing for so long it's second nature." Aphrodite smiled. "I'm proud of him."

"Same here." Apollo nodded.

"A miracle that neither of you corrupted his nature," Artemis said dryly.

"Hurtful!"

"True, though," Apollo said with a begrudging nod while the goddess of love pouted.

 **The tour continued as they saw the archery range, which Andi took some interest in.**

Apollo grinned and Zeus glared at him.

"Zeus, don't get angry with Apollo because your daughter and his son hit it off so nicely."

"Hera!"

The Queen arched a brow. "What? This is better torture than any I could come up with."

"I could think of a few things," Hades said dryly.

"No one asked you," Zeus snapped.

Rhea sighed. Her children were so rowdy...why did she lay with their father again?

Oh right, he was the one who dealt the final blow on her father...

 **Next was the canoeing lake, which Andi frowned at then sped past.**

 **Chiron had this amused face at the sight, making the sky child scowl at him.**

 **"Well, it explains why I don't like large bodies of water." The girl muttered and glared at the quietly snickering Percy. She raised a fist surrounded by a miniature cyclone. Percy stopped laughing, but his eyes still held this amused glint.**

"Good boy." Poseidon nodded, his eyes also amused.

 **Next were the stables (which Chiron didn't seem to like very much, Andi had a sneaking suspicion as to why, too.), the javelin range, the sing-along amphitheater, and the arena where Chiron said they held sword and spear fights.**

 **"Sword and spear fights?" Percy asked.**

 **"Cabin challenges and all that," Chiron explained. "Not lethal. Usually."**

"Lame!"

"Oh, quiet you," Aphrodite shushed her boyfriend.

 **Andi frowned at that as Percy shifted a bit uncomfortably, "Oh, yes, and there's the mess hall."**

 **Chiron pointed to an outdoor pavilion framed in white Grecian columns on a hill overlooking the sea. There were a dozen stone picnic tables. No roof. No walls.**

 **"What do you do when it rains?" Percy asked curiously.**

 **Chiron gave Percy this weird look. "We still have to eat, don't we?"**

"Ah, pneumonia," Apollo said with a small smile on his face. "What a wonderful annoyance."

"…Dark, dude." Leo mumbled.

 **"It's probably charmed or something to block out the rain." Andi stated as she stared at the pavilion with intrigued eyes and got a sly smile from Chiron.**

 **Finally, he showed them the cabins. There were twelve of them, nestled in the woods by the lake. They were arranged in a U, with two at the base and five in a row on either side. And they were a pretty bizarre collection of buildings Andi thought, and that was shocking since wizards had messed up ideas for architecture.**

"Oh yeah, another awesome description of our awesome cabins." Apollo grinned.

"Wanna throw another awesome in there?" Hermes asked.

"Nah, it wouldn't fit."

 **Each had a large brass number above the door (odds on the left side, evens on the right), they looked nothing alike whatsoever. Number nine had smokestacks, like a tiny factory. Number four had tomato vines on the walls and a roof made out of real grass. Seven seemed to be made of solid gold, which gleamed so much in the sunlight it was almost impossible to look at. They all faced a commons area about the size of a soccer field, dotted with Greek statues, fountains, flowerbeds, and a couple of basketball hoops.**

 **In the center of the field was a huge stone-lined fire pit. Even though it was a warm afternoon, the hearth smoldered. A girl about nine years old was tending the flames, poking the coals with a stick.**

"Oh, Hestia, you look adorable."

"Mother, please..."

"But you do, dear!"

Hestia's face started to glow in embarrassment.

 **"Is that safe to let a little girl do?" Andi asked in a worried whisper to Percy, who shrugged at the sight, not knowing what to think.**

"It is rather dangerous..." Demeter trailed off, a smirk on her face.

"Yes, Hestia, for your safety, please don't poke the fires any-"

"Oh, be quiet, Hera!" Hestia snapped at her amused sisters.

 **The pair of cabins at the head of the field, numbers one and two, looked like his-and-hers mausoleums, big white marble boxes with heavy columns in front. Andi stared at her supposed cabin labeled with a one. It was the biggest and bulkiest of the twelve, kinda obnoxious looking too. Its polished bronze doors shimmered like a hologram, so that from different angles lightning bolts seemed to streak across them. She turned to cabin two, which was more graceful and feminine, with its slimmer columns garlanded with pomegranates and flowers. The walls were carved with images of peacocks.**

 **Andi felt a chill down her spine as the thought hit her. She was a child of Zeus.**

 **Crap.**

 **Hera hated when that happened.**

"That's an understatement, actually," Hera said dryly. "But your mother is alive and Jason's doing well, so I'm rather not that upset at this point."

"That and you know she's not real here." Poseidon pointed out.

"Yes, there is that, too."

… _ **Well, I'm screwed. Bye-bye life.**_ **Andi thought with a nervous look as a tiny whimper escaped her lips.**

 **"Zeus and Hera?" She heard Percy vaguely ask, snapping her out of her depressing thoughts.**

 **"Correct," Chiron said with a nod.**

 **"Their cabins look empty." Percy pointed out.**

 **"Several of the cabins are. That's true. No one ever stays in two, but with Andi here, she has Cabin One all to herself."**

 **"Wait, I get** _ **that**_ **all to myself?" Andi gaped, her hand pointing at the massive cabin as her gaze flitted between it and the centaur.**

"It's not that impressive. No bed." Jason muttered.

Zeus frowned while Hera rolled her eyes.

"The plan was for him to _not_ require beds in his cabin...Speaking of, Poseidon, why did _you_ have beds in your cabin?"

"…Uhh…"

"A very good question, sister," Hades said. "I didn't even get a cabin, but that's moreso because of the Greeks' bias against me."

"...Well, Poseidon, words for the class?" Rhea asked.

"Um...Well...uh..."

"...You're so grounded, Uncle P."

"Oh, shut up, Apollo."

 **Chiron nodded once again and Andi felt like she was going into some kind of panic mode. Seriously, the tour was nice and all but she needed solid well-explained answers soon or she was going to snap!**

"Okay, how can we be sure of that? She doesn't seem like she's in turmoil. Good actor or not, you can't just hide all of that shock. It leaks out," Apollo said. "Even WITH years of torment and practice, that stuff is noticeable. That's why there are experts in the psychiatric field to help children like this. Because they've SEEN IT BEFORE."

"He's got a point," Athena said with a nod.

"She probably has it all build up and lets it explode out, then pretends the explosion doesn't happen. Much like Zeus." Hades suggested, earning his brother's ire.

"...Okay, I'll accept that," Apollo said.

 **The sky child took a breath and stepped forward to the cabin that was hers now and saw a bag of toiletries and a sleeping bag next to it. Probably from that Annabeth girl. The black haired girl made a mental note to thank her later as she opened the large bronze door and took a peek inside.**

 **The dome-shaped ceiling was decorated with moving mosaics of a cloudy sky and thunderbolts, and was far more beautiful than the enchanted sky at Hogwarts in her opinion. It even gave off soft soothing rumbles, which just sounded so accepting of her being in there. She imagined the peaceful sounds would be able to lull her to sleep whenever she went to bed. The cabin smelt like the air just after a storm, a smell she always adored. There was no furniture in there at all, which confused her, and looked like the inside of a bank. The cabin had alcoves with golden eagle statues stationed in them as well. In the center was a ten-foot tall, intimidating statue of Zeus that just seemed to have a stern eye on every part of the cabin.**

"Self adoration, much?"

"Trying to ensure no one breaks in," Zeus said firmly to his elder brother.

"A likely story." Hades huffed.

 **Andi took the supplies left for her and put them against the inner wall next to the door while putting her messenger bag next to the stuff.**

 **Andi heard Chiron say, "Oh, I wouldn't do that!" while speaking to Percy who was taking a peek into the sea themed cabin that was labeled three.**

"He knows," Poseidon said with a smirk. "All children of the sea, know."

"...It's a gut feeling." Percy admitted when the demigods looked at him.

 **Chiron put a hand on his shoulder and said, "Come along, Percy. Andi, there is more to see." He told the girl, and Andi was there seconds later.**

 **As the tour group walked pass the other cabins, the child of the Thunderer looked around and noticed that most of the other cabins were crowded with campers. It made her wonder if she had any siblings out there. The thought of a brother or sister made her smile.**

"Hi. I'm Jason Grace, son of Jupiter."

"Hi. I'm Thalia Grace, Daughter of Zeus, Lieutenant of Artemis' Hunters."

 **Number five was bright red, but done in a really messy paint job, as if the color had been splashed on with buckets and finger-painted by a caveman, but less artistic. The roof was lined with barbed wire. A stuffed wild boar's head hung over the doorway, and its eyes seemed to be moving like googly eyes you would put something on in pre-k art class. Inside Andi could see a bunch of mean-looking kids, both girls and boys, shouting over blaring American rock music and arm wrestling each other like they had nothing better to do.**

 **The loudest was a girl maybe thirteen or fourteen. She wore a size XXXL CAMP HALF-BLOOD T-shirt under a camouflage jacket and had long stringy brown hair. She zeroed in on both Percy and Andi, giving a dark sneer. Andi glared back, just as intensely with the winds dancing around her. She hated bullies with a passion, and now it looks like she had found a whole clubhouse of them, joy. The girl reminded the sky child of Crabbe and Goyle, but much bigger and tougher looking, and perhaps with more brains than those walking rocks.**

"Ha! Hear that?! My kid's got brains." Ares bragged.

"Uh-huh. Sure." Athena rolled her eyes.

 **They kept walking in silence for quite a distance till Percy spoke. "We haven't seen any other centaurs," he observed.**

 **"No," said Chiron sadly. "My kinsmen are a wild and barbaric folk, I'm afraid. You might encounter them in the wilderness, or at major sporting events. But you won't see any here."**

"Whoo! Party Ponies Express!" Apollo whooped.

 **"What?" Andi asked in a confused tone, "The ones I've met at the forest near Hogwarts were far more into what the sky foretold then drinking from kegs." She stated**

 **Chiron scoffed, "Do not let the star reading front fool you my dear. I do admit my European brethren are somewhat tamer, but not by much. Oh, they may go on and on about stars this and planets that, but don't put much stock in it, you'd be better off wondering what your horoscope is from the Sunday paper." He brushed off with a wave of his hand, "Where do you think my stateside brethren get their strong Scottish ale from, hm?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.**

 **"Wow." Andi said, stunned, "I mean, I've always seen them as so serious." She muttered to herself.**

 **"Many of the things you think you know from your magical education won't apply here Andi." Chiron explained kindly.**

"Ha! Eat _that_ Hogwarts!" Leo declared with a superior smirk on his face.

 **"Huh? Really?" Andi asked with a stunned look.**

 **"Indeed. Magic has given you many advantages..." Chiron said only to be cut off.**

 **Andi cocked her head as she interrupted, "Like what?"**

 **"For one, it played a great part in you surviving long enough to make it here to camp. With your magic, you would have had more of a chance than others like yourself. Witch and wizard demigods are not unheard of, but are rare. As a whole they have better chances of surviving as children, with accidental magic and all." Chiron continued, even as he gave Andi a mildly disapproving look for interrupting him.**

 **Andi licked her dry lips, "O-Okay." she said, rattled by the revelation that she could have died any time. Yeah, she was real thankful for magic now. She wondered how many times it saved her life before Hogwarts.**

"Quite a bit, I'm sure," Hera said dryly. Her other might have had an attempt or two foiled by magic and decided Zeus' magical brat wasn't worth it.

 **Taking advantage of the lull in the conversation from Andi being stunned speechless by this latest exposed truth, Percy spoke, "You said your name was Chiron. Are you really..."**

 **He smiled down at the boy. "The Chiron from the stories? Trainer of Hercules and all that? Yes, Percy, I am."**

"He's got a great meal deal, gives him youth, sort of, and immortality, sort of." Hermes muttered.

"...Why is the one who teaches and trains your children, and is technically your half-brother, sort of immortal?" Rhea asked her children with a raised brow.

"Because Mr. Paranoia doesn't want him to be permanently immortal so he can appear more competent than he is," Poseidon said dryly.

"Indeed," Hera said with a nod.

"...No one asked you for your opinions, Poseidon. Hera." Zeus grumbled.

"Nope. We just gave it. Like you usually do," Poseidon said cheekily.

 **"But, shouldn't you be dead?" Percy pointed out, only to have Andi slap him upside the head, "Ow!" the boy exclaimed and turned to glare at that the girl, but she just gave him a disbelieving look. It screamed: Did you honestly just say that?**

 **Percy looked sheepish.**

"Shame, Percy. For shame." Hermes tutted while he and Apollo chided him, wagging their fingers and frowning in disapproval.

"I was in shock!"

"Yeah, and Andi's forty-two, the answer to the ultimate question."

 **Chiron paused, as if thinking of what to say. "I honestly don't know about if I should be. The truth is, I can't be dead. You see, eons ago the gods granted my wish. I could continue the work I loved. I could be a teacher of heroes as long as humanity needed me. I gained much from that wish ... and I gave up much. But I'm still here, so I can only assume I'm still needed."**

 **"Doesn't it ever get boring?" Percy asked as Andi rolled her eyes. She was considering calling the boy Motor Mouth Jackson soon, since he lacked the ability to think before he spoke.**

"It's an apt nickname." Thalia smirked.

"Shut up, Porcupine-head."

"Make me, Motor Mouth."

"...Oh, Thalia wins on counts of alliteration!" Apollo declared, Athena and even a sheepish Annabeth nodding in agreement.

Thalia smirked superiorly while Percy scowled.

 **"No, no," Chiron said. "Horribly depressing, at times, but never boring."**

 **"Why dep-" Percy started to say, but was thankfully cut off by Andi with a hiss.**

 **"** _ **Percy**_ **."**

 **"What?" Percy snapped at her.**

 **"People die, you prat." The girl snapped back in a harsh whisper. Percy's eyes widened in realization.**

"...Aren't you just talking about _his_ death?" Leo asked. "How would you _not_ make that connection?"

"I was in shock!" Percy groaned. "My mom was snatched up by a monster and I woke up to find out my favorite teacher and best friend are supernatural creatures, oh and, side note, DAD'S A GOD!"

"...See, now, that answer we'll accept." Apollo nodded. "That gives you reason for being in shock, as opposed to just saying, 'oh god, I'm in shock'."

 **Chiron didn't seem to be paying attention to their hushed conversation as he trotted along.**

 **"Oh, look," Chiron spoke to them. "Annabeth is waiting for us."**

 **The blonde girl they'd met at the Big House was talking animatedly with this tall blond teenager about something in front of the last cabin on the left, number eleven.**

 **As they got closer, Andi gave the guy a quick once over.**

"What a waste..." Aphrodite sighed sadly.

"He was trying to destroy you." Artemis drawled.

"Yes, but he looked good doing so, and I can respect that."

 **He looked about in his late teens, and he was good looking she guessed, the young girl really didn't know what was good or not. He was tall and muscular but in a lean way, with short-cropped sandy hair and a nice smile. He wore an orange tank top, cutoffs, sandals, and a leather necklace with five different-colored clay beads. He also had a thick white scar that ran from just beneath his right eye to his jaw.**

 **Andi inwardly shrugged, she has a scar, not as big, but it definitely got her attention. It just made him stand out more so to say. More character, as Hermione would say.**

"Ah, not mind-raped by the Mist in this version," Zeus said with a smirk.

"Do you feel better, Zeus?" Hades asked dryly.

"A little, yes."

 **When they reached Annabeth, she looked Percy over critically but dismissed him fairly quickly. She then did a once over of Andi, looking happy for some reason that escaped the shorter girl.**

 **The blond haired guy looked over Andi, and she saw flickers of sadness in his eyes. The daughter of Zeus knitted her brow, trying to remember where she saw that look before and got it! He was the one who picked her up…like a princess.**

 **She didn't know whether to thank him or glare at him.**

"Glare." "Thank!"

Artemis and Aphrodite sent each other dirty looks.

"Ladies, it's just a story." Hestia reminded them.

 **"Annabeth," Chiron said, "I have masters' archery class at noon. Would you take them from here?"**

 **"Yes, sir." Annabeth answered dutifully.**

 **Andi turned to Chiron, like she was going to say something, but the teacher held up a hand, "Andi, if you have questions, I am sure Annabeth can answer them. For ones she cannot, you may come see me later on." He assured the girl, as a panicking daughter of the sky god was not a good thing. There was much that she needed to know, especially with the ill wind that had accompanied her arrival, but alas, classes called.**

"Well, at least he has his priorities in order," Thalia said dryly.

"From this point, we could blame the meltdown on Chiron." Apollo noted. "If we chose to ignore the fact he had a responsibility to _not_ show favoritism."

 **Andi bit her lip a bit, but gave a small nod, making the trainer smile at her as he turned to the green eyed boy, "Cabin eleven," Chiron told Percy, gesturing toward the doorway. "Make yourself at home."**

 **Out of all the cabins thus far, eleven looked the most like a standard summer camp cabin, which was to say: kinda run down. It had a worn threshold, peeling brown paint, and a dozen other things that gave the impression that it needed work done on it. Andi questioned why no one gave it some maintenance. Over the doorway was a caduceus symbol, if she remembered correctly from seeing it so many times in the infirmary at her school.**

 **Inside, it was packed with people, both boys and girls, way more than the number of beds that fit into the old cabin. To make up for that shortage of beds, sleeping bags were spread all over on the floor, like a localized evacuation center when a big storm came in.**

 **Chiron didn't go in. The door was too low for him. But when the campers saw him they all stood and bowed respectfully.**

"Ohh, Chiron-sensei..." Leo clapped his hands together and bowed.

Ares kicked the back of Frank's seat. "Brat, bow."

"I'm Chinese, not Japanese."

"...And?"

"It's horrifying how uncultured you are," Athena said dryly.

"Bite me." Ares grunted. He then released a belch and began to dig around in his ear with a finger.

 **"Well, then," Chiron said. "Good luck, Percy. Andi, take care. I'll see you both at dinner."**

 **With those parting words, he galloped away toward the archery range.**

 **The two black haired children were looking at the kids, as they looked back at them, though most of the looks were directed at Percy though some did take a side glance at Andi with frowns and grumbles.**

 **"Well?" Annabeth prompted. "Go on." She urged Percy.**

"Like a newborn seal cub, the boy meekly crept into the cabin and preceded to make a few friends."

"Shut up, Wise Girl." Percy grumbled sourly.

 **Percy did so and in an amazing display of his coordination, tripped on his own feet, making a daft fool of himself. There were some snickers from the campers at this display, but none of them said anything. Andi on the other hand laughed openly, getting the boy to glare at her from the floor. Andi just looked sideways with an innocent look that didn't fit her at all in the green-eyed boy's opinion.**

 **Annabeth announced, "Percy Jackson, meet cabin eleven." As the boy stood up.**

 **"Regular or undetermined?" Somebody asked.**

 **Percy didn't know what to say, but Annabeth seemed to, as she easily replied with an "Undetermined."**

 **Everybody groaned.**

"It was so crowded in there," Hermes said with a sigh. He nodded at Percy. "Thanks for asking for other cabins."

"It really should've been done beforehand," Rhea said, giving her son a pointed look.

Zeus grimaced. Great, now his mother was going to get on his case?

 **The blond haired guy that was talking to Annabeth earlier spoke up at this. "Now, now, campers. That's what we're here for. Welcome, Percy. You can have that spot on the floor, right over there." He said pointing to the corner.**

 **"This is Luke," Annabeth said, and her voice sounded different somehow. Andi looked at the girl, seeing her blushing lightly and snickered a bit. Annabeth heard the girl and as she turned to glare at the sky child, she also saw Percy looking at her, which only caused her expression to harden further. "He's your counselor for now. He was also the one who brought you to the infirmary Andi."**

 **"For now?" Percy asked.**

 **"I figured as much since he looked familiar. Still debating on punching him or not." Andi stated, getting the blond guy to look questioningly.**

"Do it!" Thalia cheered.

"But don't leave a bruise!" Aphrodite warned.

"Bust some teeth." Artemis grumbled.

 **"Why?" the counselor asked with a blink.**

 **"You carried me like some princess…and I hate that." The sky child huffed, getting some laughs from within the cabin.**

 **Luke laughed a bit too while shaking his head. Andi could have sworn she heard him say something like 'Are they all like this?', under his breath.**

 _ **All like what?**_ **The child of Zeus asked in her head.**

 **After getting his laughs, Luke turned to Percy, "You're undetermined," He explained patiently. "They don't know what cabin to put you in, so you're here. Cabin eleven takes all newcomers, all visitors. Naturally, we would. Hermes, our patron, is the god of travelers."**

"Hey, hey!" Hermes grinned and buffed his nails on his shirt.

 **"Thieves too, right?" Andi asked with a tilted head, getting some snickers from some of the more mischievous looking kids, some that could give the Weasley twins a run for their money by the looks of it.**

 **In response, Percy looked around with a frown as he clenched his hands firmly around his Minotaur horn, probably not wanting it stolen or something.**

 **"How long will I be here?" Percy asked.**

 **"Good question," Luke said. "Until you're determined."**

 **"How long will that take?"**

 **The campers all laughed.**

"So not cool." Percy groaned. Why did he have to live through this moment five times? Why?

 **Andi frowned, "Is that what happened to me? The light show?" she asked Annabeth, and the blonde nodded.**

 **"Come on," Annabeth told both of the new campers. "I'll show you the volleyball court."**

 **"I've already seen it." Percy argued.**

 **"Come on." She grabbed his wrist and dragged him outside.**

"Ohh...Okay, now I see where it all started." Piper nodded.

"What are you talking about?" Annabeth asked.

"Your attraction to Percy. It was subtle."

"I-I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"See, that doesn't help."

 **Andi followed since she had lots of questions that she needed answers for and Chiron had said that this girl was the designated source of those answers.**

 **When they were a few feet away, Annabeth said, "Jackson, you have to do better than that."**

 **"What?" Percy rebutted sharply, feeling anger bubbling up in him.**

 **She rolled her eyes and mumbled under her breath, "I can't believe I thought you were the one.**

"Well, he turned out to be the one."

"McLean, shut up."

 **Least I was right on one of you." She said while looking at Andi.**

 **"What's your problem?" Percy asked, the anger clear in his tone now. "All I know is, I kill some bull guy-"**

 **"Don't talk like that!" Annabeth told him with narrowed eyes. "You know how many kids at this camp wish they'd had your chance?"**

 **"To get killed?" Percy asked scathingly.**

 **"To fight the Minotaur! What do you think we train for?" Annabeth retorted.**

"I kind of have to side with Percy on this one, Annie." Thalia admitted.

"...What?" Percy blinked in shock. "Say that again?"

"Don't flatter yourself."

"Can we get an explanation?" Annabeth asked.

"Coming off of the streets, first time we're attacked it's like 'WTF?', and for someone whose mom was kidnapped right in front of them by a monster, to say that some people would be _proud_ of fighting that monster..." Thalia trailed off.

"Ohh...Very insensitive."

"Leo!" Piper chided the Latino.

"What? The hottie has a point." Leo shrugged.

"Dude," Jason said dryly while Thalia glared at him.

"What?...What?"

 **"Look!" Andi shouted, getting them both to look at her, "I really don't want to sound like some Prima Donna, but what the hell is happening to me? To us? Can I get some clear answers besides the basics?!" she shouted, wind picking up around her as her anger began rearing its head, she was going to blow from overload soon, "I've done a lot of messed up stuff. I've nearly got killed by a three headed dog, outran giant flesh eating spiders, fought a troll, took down some Drakon whatever. Then this snake lady was after my head on a pike, and I only survive because I magically exhaust myself when my accidental magic apparates me across the ocean? So you know, I think I deserve some answers. So once again, what the bloody hell?!" she demanded.**

"...Now, see, that seems a bit out of nowhere since she hasn't shown any real shock aside from telling us over and over again that 'she's in shock'." Apollo pointed out. "Percy, being a dunderhead, makes a bit more sense."

"...Why is everyone so cruel when they're defending me?"

"Because the truth hurts, Percy." Apollo answered.

 **"Andi, you need to calm down." Annabeth told the distressed girl, her hands in the air as she spoke in a calm tone, "Your powers are tied to your emotions, and if you get seriously angry you could roll in a thunderstorm." She said looking up as some black clouds were rolling in, blocking the sun somewhat.**

 **"I am completely calm!"**

"Obviously." Piper rolled her eyes.

"She really is like a young Zeus," Rhea said thoughtfully.

 **No, she wasn't.**

 **Percy shook his head. "Look, if the thing I fought really was the Minotaur, the same one in the stories and Andi did what she said..."**

 **"Damn right I did." The girl growled as Annabeth grimaced, more clouds were coming in.**

 **"Then there's only one." Percy said, "And he died, like, a gazillion years ago, right? Theseus killed him in the labyrinth. So ..."**

 **"Monsters don't die, Percy.**

"Boy, isn't that the truth?" Leo asked dryly.

"At least we rescued Thanatos," Hazel said with a sigh.

 **They can be killed. But they don't die." Annabeth answered with annoyance, could he not see the mini-twister about to blow? She didn't have time for this if she didn't want lightning bolts raining from the sky on them. She had seen a child of Zeus do that a few times.**

 **It wasn't pretty.**

"Listen to me, please, listen," Annabeth said with her hands interlaced together as she prayed up to the sky.

"Wise Girl, this is a younger me. I'm too wigged to pay attention to anyone else," Percy said. He acknowledged he was a bit selfish when he was younger, but that happened to be the case around that age for most boys.

 **"Oh, thanks. That clears it up." Percy said sarcastically, making the blonde's eye twitch. Was he really ignoring the blackening sky? Right above his head?** _ **Seriously?**_

 **"They don't have souls, at least not ones like you and I do. You can dispel them for a while, maybe even for a whole lifetime if you're lucky. But they are primal forces. Chiron calls them archetypes. Eventually, they re-form." Annabeth answered quickly before returning her attention to the more urgent cause of concern, "Andi, please!" she shouted over the howling wind.**

"Since when was the wind howling?"

"Nitpicking, Apollo?" Athena asked.

"Hey, we read this part already, and I don't see any difference, do you?" Apollo asked.

"Point taken."

 **Andi heard the girl and tried to calm down. God, what was happening to her? She wondered as the wind speed slowly went down.**

 **"You mean if I killed one, accidentally, with a sword-" Percy said**

 **"The Fur ... I mean, your math teacher? That's right. She's still out there. You just made her very, very mad."**

"That's an understatement," Hades said with a scoff.

 **Annabeth answered with a sigh of relief to the calming daughter of the sky, "I'll answer everything, but you have to stay calm. Your powers are dangerous Andi."**

 **Andi was panting slightly as the black clouds somewhat broke, letting the sunlight through to the camp.**

"Now, that made sense. After all, who doesn't want to see me?" Apollo asked with a smirk.

 **She gave a small nod, but still felt like she was on a hairs trigger.**

"She is Zeus' daughter."

"Very funny, Earthshaker."

 **"How did you know about Mrs. Dodds?" Percy demanded. He wanted answers and he wasn't going to let the threat of a little wind distract him or more importantly this Annabeth girl that apparently had them.**

 **"You talk in your sleep." She stated obviously, "…Thought Andi likes to talk about cake in hers." The blonde said in a light hearted teasing tone to the now flushed blue-eyed girl.**

 **"Shut up." Andi mumbled with a pout and pink cheeks. What? She adored cake.**

"Cake, pie, sweets in general I'm sure," Thalia said with a smirk.

"...Are we sure she isn't of my loins?" Aphrodite asked.

"She wasn't claimed by you." Artemis pointed out smugly.

"Maybe I just didn't feel like claiming her since Zeus did!"

"And why would that stop you now?"

Aphrodite faltered and glared when Artemis gave her a smirk.

 **"You almost called her something. A Fury? They're Hades' torturers, right?" Percy asked, giving Andi a glance.**

 **Annabeth glanced nervously at the ground and then at Andi, as if she expected it to open up and swallow the girl. "You shouldn't call them by name, even here. We call them the Kindly Ones, if we have to speak of them at all."**

"An odd name, but amusing," Hades said. He had a small smirk on his face.

 **"Look, is there anything we can say without it thundering?"**

"No." Poseidon and Hades scoffed.

Zeus scowled at them.

"He has a point, Zeus. He just arrived there, you shouldn't be so quick to scold him for things he's not aware of yet." Rhea chided her youngest son.

"...Yes mother..." Zeus grunted out sourly, throwing a glare Poseidon's way for the snicker that escaped him.

 **Percy whined, "Why do I have to stay in cabin eleven, anyway? I mean, Andi gets the giant one all to herself, right? Why is everybody back there so crowded together? There are plenty of empty bunks right over there."**

"In any other summer camp, I would be in the right!" Percy protested.

"Yes, but this isn't any other summer camp, now is it?" Annabeth retorted.

"...Still!"

 **He pointed to the first few cabins, and Annabeth turned pale. "You don't just choose a cabin, Percy. It depends on who your parents are. Or...your parent."**

 **She stared at him, waiting for him to get it. The blonde already knew Andi had gotten some of this.**

 **"My mom is Sally Jackson," Percy said in a matter-of-fact tone. "She works at the candy store in Grand Central Station. At least, she used to."**

"Ooh, and downer..." Hermes grimaced.

"More evidence that Jackson is a dunce."

"Coming from you, Ares, that's a compliment," Percy said with a smirk.

"...You brat."

"I try," Percy said with a smirk.

 **"I'm sorry about your mom, Percy. But that's not what I mean. I'm talking about your other parent. Your dad." Annabeth answered.**

 **"He's dead. I never knew him."**

"Well, he's half right." Hades smirked.

"Thank you, Hades." Poseidon grumbled.

 **"Percy, get it into your head. Our dads are gods…mine was already revealed." Andi begrudgingly spoke, unsure what to feel about the fact her** _ **father**_ **was history's greatest adulterer.**

 **Annabeth sighed, "Andi's right. Your father's not dead, Percy."**

 **"How can you say that? You know him?" Percy asked in surprise.**

"Not personally, but she probably knows of him." Athena smirked. "He is rather loathed in my cabin."

"Oh, am I now?" Poseidon asked with a scowl.

"Well, you are fatheaded and stubborn."

"And you're not stubborn or prideful in the slightest?"

"Athena. Poseidon. We agreed." Rhea reminded the two.

The rivals sent glares at each other before they settled back into their seats, intent on seeing how this played out.

 **Andi shook her head as she came to a realization: it wasn't that Percy was stupid, no, he was in denial. The short girl couldn't blame him though; parts of her were as well.**

 **"No, of course not." Annabeth flustered.**

 **"Then how can you say-"**

 **"Because I know you,**

"Stalker alert!" Hermes declared, a siren appearing behind him and wailing.

Annabeth turned bright red and Athena glared at the god.

"My children would never!"

"Sure, sure...ever wonder how she always seems to be so aware of so much?" Hermes asked the demigods while referring to Athena.

"I could see it."

"No one asked you, Squid God!"

 **both of you. You wouldn't be here if you weren't one of us." Annabeth assured them.**

 **"You don't know anything about me." Percy said with a frown.**

 **"I've got to go with denial boy here." Andi said, thumbing to Jackson, who frowned at the remark, "Don't label me." she spat out with a frown.**

"Smooth, Annie. Smooth."

"Shut up, Thalia."

 **The girl hated being labeled; it was like Hogwarts all over again with the houses, and how you were 'supposed' to have all the traits of your house…even if she was the textbook definition of a Gryffindor.**

 **"No?" Annabeth asked rhetorically as she raised an eyebrow. "I bet you both moved around from school to school. I bet the two of you were kicked out of a lot of them too."**

 **"How-" Percy blinked in surprise while Andi grunted, her head turned to the side in frustration at the correct answer. She hated being proven wrong.**

 **"Diagnosed with dyslexia. Probably ADHD, too."**

"Oh, good, we get to see Know-It-All Annabeth again." Percy drawled.

Annabeth smacked his chest with the back of her hand.

"What? It got old real fast, Wise Girl."

 **Andi turned her head back to Annabeth, "What does that have to do with it?" she asked; curiosity in her tone. Percy nodded to her question.**

"Mortals make the labels," Annabeth said. "We're just familiar with them."

 **"Taken together, it's almost a sure sign. The letters float off the page when you read, right? That's because your mind is hardwired for ancient Greek. And the ADHD-you're impulsive, can't sit still in the classroom. That's your battlefield reflexes. In a real fight, they'd keep you alive. As for the attention problems, that's because you see too much, not too little. Your senses are better than a regular mortal's. Of course the teachers want you medicated. Most of them are monsters. They don't want you seeing them for what they are."**

 **Andi was having flashes of all her fights, from school brawls, to magic duels, to fighting monsters and finally the fight that landed her here. It made sense, it really did.**

 _ **Well, that explained why it was hard to read Latin,**_ **Andi thought.**

 **"You sound like ... you went through the same thing?" Percy said as he looked at the girl.**

 **Annabeth shrugged, "Most of the kids here did. If you weren't like us, you couldn't have survived the Minotaur or a Drakon, much less the ambrosia and nectar."**

"Internal incineration." Ares snickered. "Awesome."

"I admit, the first few times was funny." Poseidon chuckled. "Zeus was trying to figure out why they couldn't just survive off of our food."

"Yes, thanks for that reminder..." Zeus grumbled. Arguably the first inhumane experiment performed and it was his fault, something he loves to be reminded of.

 **"Ambrosia and nectar." Percy muttered with a knitted brow.**

 **"The food and drink we were giving you to make you better. That stuff would've killed a normal kid. It would've turned your blood to fire and your bones to sand and you'd be dead. Face it. You're half-bloods."**

 _ **A demigod,**_ **Andi thought. She was an honest to damn demigoddess.**

 **And now she was feeling a headache coming on all over again. Still too many questions, way too many questions.**

 **Then a husky voice yelled, "Well! Looky here, newbies!"**

Ares' smirk fell and he grimaced.

"Ah, Hell...It's always my kids, isn't it?" He asked.

"They are stupid enough to try something." Athena pointed out.

"Because you urge them to assert themselves," Hephaestus said with a smirk.

"...You two suck. Seriously."

"We aim to please," Athena said, with Hephaestus nodding in agreement.

"Well, you fail. Epically." Ares snapped.

 **The three looked over. The big girl from the cave painted cabin was marching over to them. She had three other girls behind her, all big and ugly and mean looking like her, all wearing camo jackets.**

 **"Clarisse," Annabeth sighed with annoyance. "Why don't you go polish your spear or something?"**

"Wow, Annabeth, making sexual innuendoes already?" Aphrodite giggled.

"I-You!" Annabeth faltered, her face bright red.

"Aphrodite, how dare you!" Athena snarled.

"Oh, please, would it have been better if Ares' had been the one to say it?"

"About my own kid?" Ares countered with a dry stare.

"Please, like you've never done that before."

"...True."

"I'm learning far too much," Percy said dryly.

"You and me both, brother," Frank said as he turned the page.

 **She did** _ **not**_ **need this right now. If Clarisse was going to do what the blonde knew that the war girl was going to do…well, maybe getting sucked into a twister would give the muscle headed girl some second thoughts.**

 **Also maybe the child of wisdom wanted to see Clarisse get thrown around like a ragdoll.**

 **"Sure, Miss Princess," the big girl said. "So I can run you through with it Friday night."**

"Wow, and Ares' daughter with the offer-!"

"APHRODITE!" Athena nearly shrieked while Annabeth looked very green at the thought.

"Must I silence you again, Aphrodite?" Rhea asked.

"Tch, no...Honestly, all of you have no sense of humor." Aphrodite huffed.

 **''Erre es korakas!" Annabeth said, which Andi somehow understood was Greek for 'Go to the crows!' Was that the Greek version of 'Go to hell'? "You don't stand a chance."**

 **"We'll pulverize you," Clarisse said, but her eye twitched. Perhaps she wasn't sure she could follow through on the threat. She turned towards Percy. "Who're the runts?" she asked and looked over to Andi, but with a bit of uncertainty in her eyes at the small framed girl.**

 **"Percy Jackson, Andi Potter," Annabeth said, "meet Clarisse, Daughter of Ares."**

 **Percy blinked. "Like...the war god?"**

"No, god of the butterflies and morning dew."

"You wanna say that again, Swift feet?" Ares snarled, glaring at Hermes.

"Apparently, also the god of poor hearing."

"I'll kill you!"

"Bring it on, mutton-muncher!"

"Ares! Stay your blade!" Zeus barked. "Hermes, quell your tongue!"

The two did so, the god of messengers smirking while the war god scowled.

Percy was doing his best to not laugh, memorizing the things Hermes said to repeat later at camp. Oh, how Clarisse would bust a gut...

 **Clarisse sneered. "You got a problem with that?"**

 **"No," Percy said, which seemed to placate the brutish girl. But he just had to open his big mouth and add, "It explains the bad smell."**

 **"And the gorilla looks." Andi added. She couldn't stop herself; the girl just rubbed her the wrong way.**

 **Clarisse growled. "We've got an initiation ceremony for newbies, Prissy, Airhead."**

 **"Percy." The boy corrected.**

"Have you never been bullied before?" Thalia asked.

"No, I have. I thought she genuinely mispronounced my name." Percy shamefully admitted.

"...Fail, dude. You fail," Leo said.

"I know." Percy sighed.

 **Andi's retort held a bit more flair, "Oh, is it my fist in your face?" she asked in an oddly calm tone.**

 **"You want to go midget?" Clarisse rounded on the shortest of the bunch.**

"Why does size matter?" Leo grumbled.

"It doesn't." Ares snorted. "Except where it counts."

"...You mean in a fight?" Athena asked dryly.

"Duh, where else would it matter?"

"Well, there are some places where you could do to be like your brothers." Aphrodite commented. Apollo and Hermes shared a high-five while Hephaestus chuckled and Dionysus cracked a smirk.

Ares turned gold, his eyes exploding in rage. "DITE!"

"What? I'm just saying."

"Well don't!"

"For once I agree with the Neanderthal," Artemis said dryly. "I'd rather not know about those sorts of things."

"Humph, you don't know what you're missing out on."

"Proud of it, too."

"Shame."

"Enough!" Zeus thundered, silencing the conversation at his mother's silent urging. He gave Ares and Aphrodite warning glares. "One more strike. One more."

"Then pow! Zoom! Straight to the moon!" Apollo declared. He withered under the combined forces of his twin and father's glares. "Shutting up."

Zeus nodded firmly and looked to the Roman demigod, who like his fellow half-bloods was green in the face.

"Continue, Frank Zhang."

 **"Maybe, but could you just leave me be?" the daughter of Zeus said massaging her head with one hand, "I'm in a bit of a foul mood." Andi answered as a frown came to her face. The clouds slowly darkening once more.**

 **"Aww, poor baby." Clarisse mocked a sob, "Well, just because your daddy's the big man, well, it really doesn't save ya from initiation." She explained to the new girl.**

"At least it's fair all around." Rhea mumbled.

Hades scoffed, but held his tongue.

 **"Clarisse-" Annabeth tried to say as her eyes went wide at the rumbling she heard from the darker than black storm clouds above them!**

"Like, Ares, once pissed off, she ignores everything around her," Percy said dryly.

Ares just gave Percy the Finger.

 **"Stay out of it, princess." The war child retorted as she made a grab for Andi's shoulder, but only to reel back as she was hammered by a blast of wind inches away from touching the other girl, sending her sprawling onto the ground, "The hell?!" she shouted while she got back up.**

 **Andi's breath became sharp as she glared at the taller girl, electric blue eyes narrowed as the wind picked up even more, "I said, kindly leave me the** _ **fuck**_ **ALONE** **!" the child of Zeus bellowed as the sky boomed.**

"...And I thought Poseidon's had a mouth on her," Rhea muttered.

"She was raised in the slums of England," Hera said.

"Indeed..." Rhea mumbled, giving her youngest son a stern look.

 **And not even a second later, lightning shot down in the center of all the cabins, a few yards behind Andi, highlighting the aura of electricity that had enshrouded her. It only added to the imposing demonstration of her powers that Andi was putting up as the wind began rapidly spiraling around her. Dirt and rocks flew from the small crater made by the lightning strike, only to be picked up the massive cyclone that had formed around Andi. Said daughter of Zeus meanwhile stood unaffected by all this as she glared at Clarisse with eyes that had started glowing, almost as if they were balls of lightning.**

 **Annabeth's eyes were wide, "Way, to go, Clarisse." She mumbled loudly.**

 **"How was I supposed to know she'd flip her shit?" Clarisse hissed back, wary eyes still on the child of Zeus.**

"Well...I'm no meteorologist, but I think the dark clouds would've been a good tip off."

"Oh, screw you, Hermes!"

"No, he's got a point," Zeus said. "Your daughter must've inherited your brains if she failed to notice the clouds overhead."

"She probably thought it was you babying her..." Ares grumbled.

"...Care to repeat yourself?" Zeus asked lowly.

"...Uh...No?"

"Come, now, Brother. You do show favoritism to your children, as we all do," Hades said dryly.

Zeus huffed and said no more. He continued to glare at Ares while Frank continued to read.

 **"Well, you just don't plain think, maybe." Annabeth scathingly supplied, the hairs on the back of her neck were standing up from the electricity in the air.**

 **"Seriously? We are having our parents' argument right now? Here?"**

 **"Well, you did kinda make Mount Zeusette erupt, genius."**

 **"…I hate you."**

 **"It's called winning." The blonde assured with a nod.**

"So full of herself...Where did it all go wrong? She used to be so cute..." Thalia sighed.

"Shut up, princess."

"...Annie, never call me that again."

"I'll think about it."

"Cheeky little..." Thalia grumbled while Annabeth smirked victoriously.

 **Andi was panting as she marched right up the child of war, she raised her hands in the air and waved them to her side, which created massive blasts of wind that tore large troughs in the ground where they struck the earth, "Still want to mess with me gorilla girl?" she asked, a sneer on her pretty face, "Because I will. Fuck." She said pushing Clarisse with surprising strength, her electrified aura zapping the bigger girl in the process, "YOUR." Another push, "** **SHIT** **." Another push,** **"** _ **UP!**_ **" she shouted as the sky boomed with a deafening roar.**

"She needs to eat a bar of soap." Rhea decided after a moment.

"I couldn't agree more, Mother." Hestia nodded with a small smile. Finally, some real support against the foul language.

 **All was silent in the face of Andi's impressive display besides the rumbling up above. The campers were all looking at Andi like she was crazy, nuts, or with exasperated bewilderment as they wondered what the hell her problem was. Then the daughter of Zeus spoke in a low tone, all heard it though as the wind carried it.**

 **"Here's a piece of advice girl. Do the smart thing…and let somebody else try first." Andi hissed, eyes sparking like a fierce thunderstorm.**

 **Percy was wide eyed at the whole thing, just, staring at the small girl. Also he might have wet himself; he wasn't sure at the moment with all the fireworks going on.**

"No shame there. I would've." Leo nodded.

"Same." Frank and Jason agreed.

"Thanks guys," Percy said with a grateful smile.

 **Despite being enthralled by the spectacle before him, he had enough sense to hear the clopping of hooves on grass, dirt, and rocks coming towards them. Turning his head in the direction of the sound, he saw a serious faced Mr. Bur-Chiron, galloping to the scene with a bow over his shoulder along with a quiver of arrows.**

 **He reared to a stop next to Annabeth and wordlessly asked the question.**

 **Annabeth's hand could have snapped at how fast she pointed to Clarisse.**

"...Snapped is unlikely, but I see what they're saying," Apollo said while he rubbed his chin.

Athena rubbed her temple. She was going to get a migraine at this rate.

 **"Traitor." The daughter of war muttered as she became the focus of Chiron's stern eyes.**

 **It was clear that she would be in trouble later.**

 **Chiron rubbed his face before turning to the angered child of the sky god, "Andromeda!" he voice was crisp, and demanding, "You need to calm yourself down this instant!" he ordered to the blue eyed girl, putting his hoof down.**

 **"Why should I?" she shouted to the centaur, a loud gust of wind expelling from her, amplifying her voice.**

"Because the immortal centaur said to..." Leo said slowly. He smacked his head. "Duh!"

"Yeah...Listening to Chiron is guaranteed to work ninety-nine point nine-nine-nine percent of the time." Percy nodded.

 **Her heart was racing, her mind was confused and frustrated tears were rolling down her cheeks. She was just so lost!**

 **Chiron grimaced inwardly, it had been a long while since he trained a child of Zeus, and he should have explained things more thoroughly. An error on his part yes, but this was out of hand, "You are putting people who have done nothing to you in danger child. Quell your rage, please." He asked her as he slowly advanced towards the girl at the center of this storm, his arm over his eyes to shield them from the dust and dirt kicked up by the tempest.**

 **That was just it, the girl didn't want to! All her life she was beat down, like she was some kind of filth on those** _ **things'**_ **middle income boots, made to think that she was supposed to feel lucky they even bothered to feed her and that she should have been grateful with what she got. Then when she learned she was a magical and wealthy as hell, she was suddenly some kind of famous hero that everyone expected to be the next bloody Merlin. She even had people write storybooks about her childhood that were nothing but LIES!**

"LIES!" Apollo shouted with a fist shaking in the air. "The Truth shall set you FREE!"

"Apollo, sit down and shut up!" Hera ordered her nephew.

"You can't handle the truth!"

"He's caught in a quote loop, quick, someone knock him out!" Hermes cried.

Artemis took pleasure in doing so and Apollo dropped like a sack of potatoes.

 **Now this? She was a child of a God, but no, not just some God, of course not. She was the bloody child of the God King! Seriously? For real? The fuck?**

 **The. Bloody. FUCK?!**

"Yes, that's how you were conceived."

"Hermes!" Zeus snapped.

"What? I had to balance my good deed with my bad, pops." The thief god shrugged. He was a god of gray after all.

 **She snapped, her emotions were overflowing and she was well beyond her boiling point.**

 **She suddenly felt hands on her shoulders and saw Chiron holding her, his kind but stern brown eyes looking dead into hers, "Andi." His tone was kind, like Dumbledore's but far kinder, far more understanding of her inner turmoil.**

 **She took a shuddering breath and blinked as her eyes returned to electric blue, but the trainer could see the confusion and fear that remained.**

 **Andi had truly never felt so lost in her life.**

 **And that scared her, very much so.**

"It was a frightening discovery," Piper said sympathetically.

"Yeah, having a lightshow over my head was weird." Leo agreed.

"Relearning it wasn't fun," Jason said dryly. He was hit by lightning.

 **Her static aura was gone, the blackened clouds slowly parted as the warm summer sun blanketed the camp once more. And with it most signs of Andi's little tantrum. Well, there was still that crater behind Andi and the grooves she'd cut into the earth with her wind, but those could easily be covered up and grass re-grown over them.**

 **Chiron raised his burn covered hands. Those were going to need some ointment it seemed and spoke gently, "Let's get you back to your cabin child. After food and rest, tomorrow all will be explained." He promised with honesty.**

 **Andi made to agree but felt her body consumed by exhaustion, she stumbled forward, only to be caught by Chiron. He was saying something, but it was muddled. Her vision was blurry but even then she could see that everyone was looking at her, it made her want to hide under her cloak at some of the looks she was getting. They weren't angry ones.**

 **No.**

 **They were wary and fearful of her.**

 **It was the Heir of Slytherin nonsense all over again.**

"To be fair, they have good reason to be afraid," Athena said. "She obviously has no control over herself. Nor any emotional stability. If she goes on this quest, she's likely to be a greater hindrance than help."

"She wasn't last time," Annabeth argued.

"Yes, but last time she had two gods as her bloodline, now she merely has Zeus."

Zeus gave his daughter a look. "Is that a bad thing?"

"No, but you must admit, Father, sometimes your temper is...hard to control."

Zeus scowled, and decided to say nothing lest he give his smirking brothers more ammo to use against him.

 **It was with that unpleasant thought running through her mind that her sight finally blackened and she muttered incoherently and passed out in the trainer's arms, body limp.**

 **Gently, Chiron lifted his charge into a fireman's carry and trotted off towards the infirmary.**

 **As the centaur and his burden walked away from Percy, Annabeth, and Clarisse, the child of the war god nodded.**

 **"Okay, option two."**

 **"Option two?" Annabeth asked with a blink as a still shell-shocked Percy was put in a headlock.**

 **This snapped the boy out of what was going on in his head, "Hey!" the boy cried out as he dropped his Minotaur horn and struggled.**

 **"Sorry newbie…not really, but the Airhead just made me lose some cred after that storm."**

"Wha-That's your own fault! You lost your own cred-Gah, I hope you drown in this universe!" Percy grumbled.

"I think it's a fixed point in time, only avoidable by non-existence, Percy," Annabeth said with a giggle.

"...I don't know what that means."

"I'll explain it to you later."

 **She said rubbing her stinging chest with her free hand, "Gonna have to get some back and you're just perfect for it. Now let's go meet a new friend of yours." Clarisse said dragging the boy away as he kicked and punched to be freed.**

 **Annabeth sighed tiredly, "Great." She muttered before taking a quick glance to the retreating Chiron and grabbed Percy's horn while heading off to see what was going to happen.**

"And again! No help! Why me?!" Percy groaned.

"Fixed point." Annabeth reminded him and rubbed his arm soothingly.

 **Andi blinked her blurry eyes open, "Ugh, can anyone name me the dragon that sat on me?" she asked with a groan.**

 **"Sure, he went by Exhaustion." A voice answered her.**

 **She turned her head to the left and came eye to eye with a pair of blue eyes. They were a different shade than hers, more of a sky blue. Her vision focused more and saw it was a boy. He was taller than her (sadly no surprise there) with short shaggy golden blond hair. He had soft features, with, dare she say, a rather charming smile. It reminded her of Lockhart, but far less obnoxious and more...real.**

"...At least Apollo's asleep." Hermes noted while his father seethed.

Aphrodite giggled gleefully.

 **"Seriously? I've been exhausted before, this doesn't feel anything like it." Andi replied skeptically as she shifted her body.**

 **"Well it's a lot more serious this time. You were already magically exhausted before your…" The boy healer was at a loss as to how to describe Andi's blow up.**

 **"Call a spade a spade. I was throwing a tantrum. Say it as it is." Supplied Andi hollowly.**

"Yes, Zeus. You throw fits and have tantrums, not lose your cool."

"Oh, shut up, Poseidon."

 **The healer looked a little surprised at Andi's honest assessment of her own actions, which was to be expected, most people did the same. He recovered quickly though, and continued with his explanation of her condition, "Yes, your tantrum. Well before you lost your temper, you'd already magically exhausted yourself…"**

 **Andi cut him off again, "Didn't I recover from that?"**

 **"I was just about to explain about that before you interrupted me you know." The blonde replied with an amused smirk.**

 **"Sorry. I'll try not to do it again." The daughter of the skies promised apologetically.**

 **"Try? Well, okay then." The boy said with a sigh before once again picking up his explanation. "So you weren't recovered from the strain of apparating intercontinentally, I think that's what it's called. Your energy level was okay thanks to the nectar but the underlying damage to your body from doing something so extreme hadn't fully healed yet. So when you threw your tantrum you ended up pushing your already abused body well beyond its limits, so you passed out for a couple days."**

"A few days alone, unconscious, with only a boy to help her...I like where this is going," Aphrodite tittered.

Zeus looked about ready to have a migraine.

 **Andi boogled at that and asked, "What's today?"**

 **"It's Wednesday afternoon."**

 **Andi paused, "When did I uh, throw my fit? Err… Sorry but I didn't get your name."**

 **"I'm Will, William Solace, and it's Sunday afternoon." The newly identified Will supplied.**

Aphrodite grinned.

Thalia frowned.

Zeus scowled.

Nico mimicked his uncle.

Jason cleared his throat. "This...should be interesting."

"Shut up, flyboy." Nico grunted.

 **"...Well, that was a nice nap." Andi said with a weak laugh.**

 **"Yeah, you slept like a real log." Will said with a small grin.**

 **Andi looked down at herself, she was in a change clothes. A Camp Half-Blood shirt and lifting the sheets gave her view of a pair of shorts. She looked at Will, "Did you change me?" she asked curiously, getting the boy to turn scarlet.**

"He better not have..." Zeus growled.

"I must say, this turn of events is far better than how it happened in the last," Aphrodite said with a titter.

"Aphrodite, be silent!"

 **"What?! No! I-It was one of my sisters. I, I would never, well, not to say you aren't, just, um…"**

 **Andi watched him and just let out a giggle, "You're funny."**

 **Will looked like he swallowed a lemon, "Uh, y-yeah...I guess I am." he chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.**

"Poor, poor Will..." Apollo sighed.

"When did you wake up?" Hermes asked.

"Immediately after I fell into my throne. I'm a god, being unconscious is not a permanent state." Apollo smirked. "Just kept my eyes and mouth shut when Will came into the picture."

"...Why can't you do that more often?" Artemis asked dryly.

"Because my awesomeness needs to be shared with the world, Arte."

"Your ego needs to be reigned in."

"Whatever."

 **Andi tried to sit up then, but her body wouldn't respond properly. Her whole body felt sore and was moving incredibly sluggishly.**

 **"Argh! Why am I so sore? I can barely move." The aerokinetic complained.**

 **"That's your extreme exhaustion talking." Will answered. "You're probably gonna be bedridden for a couple more days at least and that's only with ambrosia to speed up the healing. You'll be too sore to move. "**

"That's what he said."

"Ares, really? Are you really that stupid?" Hermes asked lowly while Zeus aimed his Master Bolt at the god.

"Apparently," Athena said dryly. She cleared her throat to earn her father's attention. "Father, if I may, why not punish Ares with something demoralizing instead of damaging?"

"...Blow me up!" Ares pleaded when it looked like Zeus was considering it. "C'mon, Pops, for ol' times sake! Blow me to bits! Blow me apart with your powerful stick!"

Poseidon, Hephaestus, Apollo and Hermes burst into laughter. Dionysus joined Aphrodite and the demigods in snickering, while Hades, Athena and Artemis smirked.

Rhea, Hera, Hestia and Demeter looked aghast, outraged and infuriated all at once.

"...You've saved yourself for now, Ares. One more line like that...and you will taste my wrath."

"All over your face."

Zeus glared heavily along with his wife, mother and sisters at Aphrodite, while Ares gaped.

"Dite!"

The goddess just tittered some more.

 **"Heck no," Andi frowned, "I'll be out of here in no time."**

 **"If you say so." Will said disbelievingly.**

 **It was Thursday evening and Andi had** _ **finally**_ **been allowed to leave the infirmary. She'd technically been alright by the morning, with most of the soreness gone, or at least faded enough that she wasn't bedridden. But Chiron had insisted she spend more time getting some much needed rest, at least until a final checkup that evening, before he was satisfied.**

"Chiron playing matchmaker, right on." Apollo nodded in approval.

Zeus growled in annoyance.

 **Keeping to his word, Chiron was there on her release, wanting to check up on her for one last time. He led her to her super big cabin, keeping a worried eye on her as they walked.**

 **Andi pushed open the door and walked into the bank-like interior.**

 **"We will see what we can do about furniture." Chiron said, surprised himself at spartan accommodations inside the cabin; it had been awhile since he looked inside,**

"He must have forgotten that this was Zeus' Cabin."

"Very funny, Hades. Very funny." Zeus grumbled.

 **"You'll have to make do with the sleeping bag Annabeth has provided for you for the time being."**

 **"Yeah, okay Chiron." Andi nodded as she looked around with a tiny frown.**

 **"I had some identification papers made for you." He told her, stunned by this the girl turned to look at the centaur questioningly, "Andi, you are from the U.K., we can't have you in America without some form of I.D." he answered with a smile, "It's just standard procedure for a foreigner such as yourself, no worries."**

"That he learned from me." Hermes preened, buffing his nails proudly.

"And thank you again for creating fake identification, Hermes." Apollo sincerely thanked the god. "Did wonders for the spy genre."

"Oh, don't mention it."

 **"Um, yes. That makes sense…" Andi nodded in understanding.**

 **"Now, I really have to get going. Dinner is at seven-thirty at the Pavilion, see you there." Chiron said with a kind nod and after receiving a response back from the girl indicating she understood, he trotted off.**

 **Andi stared after him for a moment, before she closed the large bronze door. As the doors closed, the soothing rumbles of the ceiling seemed to welcome her. They didn't do much to soothe her raging emotions though. The black haired girl leaned her back against the wall next to the door, as her wild thoughts overcame her once again.**

 **Before now, she didn't really have time, having been preoccupied with being unconscious or being too mind-numbingly sore, to think on her current situation. Andi wasn't just Andi Potter now...she was a demigod, a child of a god. Zeus no less...now that she could look at the situation, the young girl couldn't help but be awed.**

 **"Why is my life never simple?" she asked no one.**

"Because then we would be bored and frankly, that makes for a terrible story."

"...Can't argue that one," Athena said in defeat.

"Miracles do happen!" Poseidon gasped.

He smirked when Athena glared at him.

 **Seriously, just one thing after another...it was...tiring.**

 **Andi looked up and saw the statue of her supposed** _ **father**_ **looking around the room, like a hawk…or an eagle since she figured that was his sacred animal what with all the statues around.**

 **It felt like those eyes were staring at her. Andi didn't know what to feel. She didn't feel safe or secure, just more confused and with a whole host of questions at the tip of her tongue.**

 **She pushed off the wall and walked up to the statue, her eyes narrowed, "Well, I'm here!" she threw her arms out wide, "I doubt I just came here coincidentally! You wanted me here right? So, what is it? What do you want?**

"Your soul!" Apollo declared dramatically.

"No, he probably does though." Poseidon pointed a thumb over at Hades.

"...Probably." Hades agreed.

"See, Mother, this is why I'm in charge. They're too busy cracking jokes," Zeus said with a scowl.

"But, Zeus, isn't that how you got so close to free them?" Rhea countered.

"...A decision I regret more often than not." Zeus grumbled.

"Back at you, my liege." Hades and Poseidon snarked.

 **Because I know you want something. That dream, that eagle was you, right? That horse was your brother, my…uncle, the sea god. You're fighting about something, right?" She hypothesized with cold narrowed eyes. She wasn't stupid, far from it, she was very observant.**

 **She waited for an answer, a sign, anything really from her father. But after five whole minutes, nothing came. She was just about to begin demanding answers from her father again when a knock resounded from the doors.**

 **Wondering who it could be, Andi moved towards the door. Maybe it was the sign she had asked for?**

 **After opening the massive door to her cabin, it turned out her visitor was that blonde girl, Annabeth. So, it probably wasn't a sign. Andi's face fell as she realized this.**

"You don't know that. It could be a sign that you and Annabeth are meant to-Ow!" Leo yelped and rubbed his arm.

"Thanks, Jason." Annabeth and Percy nodded at the Roman.

"No problem."

 **The grey eyed girl raised a brow, "You okay?" she asked in concern at the look on the shorter girl's face.**

 **"Yeah." Andi replied with disappointment, "So, um...sup?"**

 **"Decided to skip training for a bit, I heard Chiron finally let you leave the infirmary. I wanted to check up on you."**

 **Andi offered a weak smile, "Well, my stunning performance of throwing a fit tired me out."**

 **Annabeth frowned at that. "A fit? Is that what you call it?"**

"Zeus calls it 'justice'," Hades said, using finger quotes.

"Or he stubbed his toe." Hera noted with a smirk.

"You swore never to speak of that!" Zeus hissed.

"I remember no such swearing."

"Liar!" Apollo declared, pointing at the queen. Hera glared at him and he shrugged. "What? It's what I do."

 **"Tantrum, fit, freak out," Andi shrugged, "I'm sure there's a list of more."**

 **"Well, whatever you call it. It was very impressive. Calling down a storm like that? That's like super hard. I mean, children of Zeus and maybe Poseidon can do it, but it's not something they can just throw around. Most never manage it. At least that's what Chiron said. Pulling that off has made you the talk of the camp." Annabeth explained.**

"Wow, are you buttering her up or what?" Percy mused, a smirk on his face.

"Shut up, Seaweed Brain."

 **Andi grimaced, "Wonderful, what's public opinion on me now?" she asked, already knowing.**

 **"Well, mostly shocked, I know, lame pun, but true. Some are scared and others awed." Annabeth supplied. And a few others considered Andi a brat for her freak out, in their minds plenty of other half-bloods had equally earth shattering days when they discovered their divine parentage and they had not lost it like the daughter of Zeus did. Annabeth was tactful enough though to not mention that.**

 **"Yay me." Andi cheered sarcastically.**

 **They just stood there for a beat, before Andi spoke, "Wanna, um, come in?" she asked, uncertain of the ruling on that.**

"It's generally not allowed," Jason said.

"Poo on that! Jason, you're allowed to visit Piper whenever you want." Aphrodite smiled.

"Mom!" "Aphrodite!"

"What? It needed to be said!"

 **Annabeth frowned, "Normally other campers aren't allowed in their non-Godly parents' cabins." She pointed out.**

 **"How about I give you permission?" Andi asked, and got a nod, "Um, entrance granted." She said, and a loud rumble was heard from the animated image of the sky on the ceiling as though it was a sign that her decree was heard and obeyed.** _ **Weird**_ **.**

"That's Zeus for you. Everything he commands must obey and acknowledge his words in a flashy display," Hades said dryly.

"Why, Hades, that was a nice little poem," Rhea said with a smile.

"...It wasn't intentional." Hades drawled.

"Su-u-ure. And you call me theatric," Zeus said with a smirk.

"You _are_ theatric."

 **Annabeth gave a small prayer as well and walked in. She looked relieved that nothing happened and looked around a bit, memorizing the layout of the place, "It looks…so empty." She stated at the bare cabin, it didn't even have a bed.**

 **Noticing the other girl's expression the cabin's only occupant spoke up, "Chiron said something about getting some furniture. I hope I at least get a bed. This floor doesn't look comfortable." Andi shrugged, she didn't know what usually went into a bedroom for a kid, or cabin in this case. She was pretty Spartan about her needs.**

"The floor is a bit hard." Jason noted.

"The statue is a bit much." Thalia muttered.

Zeus frowned. It wasn't like he planned on the cabin being used...

 **"I can help you pick stuff out if you need help." Annabeth said, her tone slightly smug as she held her thumbs and index fingers like a camera. She zoomed it close and away from her gleaming eye, accompanied by a tiny smirk on her face. No doubt thinking of ideas at a thousand miles per hour. Annabeth just seemed like one of those girls who always had an idea floating around in her head. Like she always had a plan.**

"More or less," Annabeth said with a nod.

"Sometimes I wonder," Percy joked. He grunted when Annabeth smacked him upside the head.

"Well, I have to plan for the two of us. Your plans are sporadic at best, and lucky disasters at worst."

"Wow, thanks Wise Girl."

"Anytime, Seaweed Brain."

 **She reminded the witch of a more athletic and life hardened Hermione. Maybe that was why she felt comfortable around this confident girl she just met, because she reminded her of her brainy best friend. Who knows?**

"Great, that comparison is back." Annabeth grumbled.

"I don't see why you're so offended," Leo said. "You've seen the movies, right? 'Nuff said."

"He's got a point," Aphrodite said with a nod.

 **"Have at it; just keep in mind that I hate girly stuff like pink, blech." Annabeth beamed at that.**

"She really isn't Aphrodite's legacy...Thank goodness," Artemis said with a sigh of relief.

Aphrodite merely pouted.

 **"Oh this is embarrassing, but you know what?" Andi spoke up, "You know my parent, but I never asked yours." She stated with interest.**

 **"Cabin six."**

 **"…I'm still new here Annabeth." Andi pointed out dryly.**

 **"Oh, sorry." The girl flustered a tad, "Athena, Goddess of Wisdom and Battle." She said with a lot of pride.**

Poseidon laughed at the way it was put and Athena seethed.

 **"Oh." Well, that explained the planning mentality, the sky child thought, it was in her genes it seemed.**

 **Andi wished she could feel the same pride in her divine parent as Annabeth had in her mother though, but she still didn't know what she felt about her** _ **father**_ **.**

 **She shook her head; best not think those things for now.**

 **"So you know where I can get some clothes?" Andi asked to change the topic. "I'm pretty much out of fresh ones." she pointed to her only set of camp clothes. She'd been changed during her stay at the infirmary, but she didn't know where the other set of clothes had went.**

"I probably had them destroyed...Anti-Pink..." Aphrodite said with a small huff.

"Silver could do her some good..." Artemis mused half-heartedly.

"Arte! Think of Will!" Apollo protested.

"Why don't you. What do you believe Father will do if they get together?" Artemis asked.

"...Point made."

 **"Let's hit the camp store, we can get you some more sets." Annabeth said.**

 **"Thank you!" Andi cheered, genuinely grateful for the other girl's help.**

 **"If you're up for it, we can go now." The daughter of wisdom replied with a smile.**

 **"Lead the way."**

"At least she enjoys shopping," Aphrodite said sourly.

"And they say I hold grudges," Hades said, amused.

 **After chatting with the kind daughter of Demeter, Katie Gardner, who ran the camp store, Andi had left with a new if modest wardrobe. She had gotten a few orange Camp-Half Blood tee shirts, some denim shorts, along with socks, sports bras, and feminine knickers. The girl used the changing room in the store and changed into her new clothes, she'd been stuck in her old set for at least the whole day since the last time she'd been changed in the infirmary last night.**

 **"Ah! Fresh clothes, they are truly gifts from the gods!" Andi said in a thoroughly exaggerated manner, which earned a bout of laughter from her fellow demigoddess.**

 **"What's so funny? It's the truth." The daughter of the skies defended with mock hurt.**

"...She really sounded like you there, Zeus," Hera said with a smirk.

"Hera, you test my patience."

"So you have patience, huh? Go figure," Poseidon said in mock surprise.

Zeus glared daggers at him.

 **Annabeth waved it off, "Sorry, you just remind me of, of a friend of mine. She was quite the show off too." She said with a sad smile.**

 **Andi was fine with Annabeth calling her a show off, she freely admitted that she was. Instead, she was just curious about this friend of the other girl's, so she asked, "Who?"**

 **"Amazingly, a daughter of Zeus, just like you."**

"Whoa, plot twist." Thalia gasped. "I didn't see that coming at all."

"...Apollo, I told you not to visit my Hunters when I was away!" Artemis glared at her twin.

"Hey, that's natural talent from Zeus and her mother." Apollo deflected. He unintentionally earned Thalia's ire at the mention of the woman who gave birth to her, but ignored it. "I can be a bit foolish sometimes, but visiting your Hunters without you around? That's suicide."

"...At least we're agreed on that."

 **Andi stopped short as they walked around the camp, "I have a sister? Is she older? Younger?" she asked, a shocked but excited expression in her blue eyes.**

 **"…You did." Annabeth answered, her lips formed into a thin line.**

 **And then it hit Andi, she** _ **had**_ **a sister…that was gone. Her shoulders slumped. Someone who knew about what she was going through was gone, someone she didn't even get to know, "…What happened?"**

"Nothing but wonderful things."

"Thalia, your sarcasm isn't funny," Annabeth said with a frown.

"Hey, I've had to re-live through this four times so far, excuse me if I don't want to relive it again," Thalia said with a small frown.

 **Annabeth swallowed a bit and seemed to nod to herself. Andi had this right, the blonde decided. If anyone was going to tell her, it would be someone who knew Thalia. Not just some random someone.**

 **"Come on." The blonde said as she led Andi up the hill where the Potter girl remembered she had landed and came to a stop at the base of the pine tree that sat on the hill's peak.**

 **"This is Half-Blood Hill." Annabeth said, "Where Thalia, your older sister, made her stand against an army of hellhounds and all three of the Kindly Ones." She explained in a pained voice.**

 **"Why would she be fighting all alone?" Andi asked, confused at such a foolish thing to do, a sense of dread filling her.**

 **"Hades, when he found out about Thalia, sent all kinds of monsters to torment her. She, along with two other half-bloods and a satyr were fleeing from them, she was only twelve at the time, just like you. But Thalia was wounded and tired and didn't want to live like some hunted animal. So she fended off the monsters so the other three could make it into the camp. She refused to go with them, deciding to protect them by holding the monsters off.** _ **Alone.**_ **No matter what the others said to her."**

"I can see where Thalia's coming from," Nico said slowly. "I'm...shamefully, a bit desensitized to this scene, but I do feel bad it happened."

"...I can understand that," Annabeth said. She still snuggled into Percy's side. They might be desensitized, but she was not.

In the meantime, Rhea glared at Hades for making her great-granddaughter relive this moment.

 **Annabeth choked up a bit as she told the story, as if she was remembering it all if the haze in her eyes was anything to go by, "She was mortally wounded before Chiron could bring help. Zeus, taking pity on Thalia, turned her into this tree that acts as the anchor for the magical border that protects us from the monsters."**

 **"But why change her? Why not help her?!" Andi demanded, her heart clenching at the tale, her fists tightening till her knuckles were white.**

 **"Gods can't really favor us Andi, we can pray for it, but sometimes they aren't really answered. Zeus changed her into a tree so Hades couldn't torture her soul." Annabeth continued.**

"And I would've gotten away with it if it hadn't been for a meddling father, and his little bleeding immortal heart, too." Hades drawled.

Apollo smirked and held his hand out, to which Hermes slapped some drachma in it while cursing under his breath in Greek.

 **One only question came to Andi's mind, "Why? Why did Hades hunt her so hard?" she asked, as her throat felt tight.**

 **The daughter of Athena ran her hand over the bark of the tree, "I didn't really know at the time as to why he was." She stated, revealing in the process that she was one of the demigods in the story,**

"No! Get out, you were there?"

"Leo, c'mon, be nice." Piper chided her friend.

"Yeah, but we all know this part...it's pretty much copied and pasted," Leo said with a frown.

"Still, show some respect."

"...Fine...Sorry, Annabeth."

"It's okay, Leo." Annabeth sighed. "You're right, in a way, but it's still a bit too real for me."

 **"I just assumed it was because of his and Zeus' rivalry. Chiron can explain it better." Annabeth said, not having the heart to say the dreaded truth to the new girl, the child of Zeus, she had been loaded with enough emotional baggage for today. This would be the last one hopefully, but Annabeth felt this was the most important thing that Andi needed to know.**

 **One that the daughter of the sky, or any new camper needed to learn.**

 _ **Sacrifice**_ **.**

 **It was the cold harsh truth of their world.**

Apollo merely nodded as he thought about what to do with his winnings.

 **Andi walked up to the tree, running her hand over the rough bark of the pine tree that stood tall and proud. The young girl thought to herself that Thalia sounded far more like a true hero, not some made up one like the magical world made herself out to be.**

 **A whirl of emotions filled Andi; anger, sadness, confusion, and heartache.**

 **This was her** _ **father's**_ **child, her sister, her** _ **older**_ **sister. A tree, instead of a bolt of lightning to save her, she was turned into a** _ **bloody tree!**_

"By, might I add, a bolt of lightning," Thalia said dryly.

"Freakin' cheater..." Hades grumbled.

 **She shouted in her mind with rage as the winds in the area picked up for a few moments.**

 **The second daughter of Zeus then did something she had promised herself, back when she was just a little girl being treated as a slave by the Dursley's, that she would never do again.**

 **She** _ **cried**_ **.**

 **She bowed her head and let the tears streak down her cheeks, even as small sobs escaped her throat.**

 **She stood there, below her tree of a sister, crying earnestly for what seemed an eternity.**

 **For the sister she had, lost, and never got to know.**

"That's...So heartbreaking." Rhea dabbed at her cheeks with a handkerchief.

"Yes, yes it is, mother." Zeus nodded and glared at Hades.

Hades rolled his eyes. "Last time I checked, my daughter joined Artemis' brigade only to die on a quest she was _not_ needed for, and your daughter joined the maiden party to live for all eternity as a youthful virgin. How am _I_ the villain here?"

"You tried to kill her," Demeter said.

"So? I probably would've tried to do the same if I felt it necessary, but I left it to Hades because, well, he was in the right. The Fates are the true villains," Hera said. She ignored the look Zeus sent her way.

"Now, that I can believe and agree with." Hades nodded.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: I...Live...AGAIN!...Wait...**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

 **The Ever Twisting Wind: The Lightning Thief**

 **Chapter Four: I Play with Pointy Things and Raggy Symbols**

* * *

"You up to -?"

"Just hand it over," Nico said dryly as he held his hand out to Frank. The book floated over to his hand and he cracked it to the accurate page. "I'm getting far too used to that..."

 **Andi took some time to calm down from her emotional response to the revelations about her sister, but even after doing so she spent another half an hour staring at her sister's tree with Annabeth silently observing her vigil. She finally thanked the blonde as they parted ways after leaving the hill, as Annabeth ran towards the arena to explain her tardiness for training, Andi just drifted around camp, observing the day-to-day lives of the other campers. She passed by the smithy (which, judging by the sounds, seemed more a weapons shop than anything else),**

"It is," Leo said with a grin. "But not as cool as my bunker."

Hephaestus cleared his throat and Leo rolled his eyes.

"Cabin Nine's bunker..."

Hephaestus smirked.

 **the arts-and-crafts room with satyrs sandblasting a giant marble bust of another satyr, Pan, as she recalled, and finally the climbing wall (well, walls, she noted to herself.) It really consisted of two adjacent walls that shook violently, dropped boulders and sprayed lava and generally smashed against each other if the climbers were too slow.**

"Not fun." Percy mumbled.

 **Now that last one looked the most interesting to her, she noted while sitting in front of her cabin after her little tour. She was just coming up with a list of what activities she wanted to try first when the smell of barbecue, coming from somewhere nearby, brought her out of her musings. She rubbed her grumbling stomach, she hadn't eaten all day, or in the past few, actually. A horn blew in the distance and she noticed everyone walking out of their cabins.**

 **"Must be dinner time," she reasoned as she stood up and started walking in the direction everyone else was heading towards. She filed in behind the Demeter cabin and Katie kindly told her that she sat at her own table, table one, which was near the entrance of the pavilion.**

"All nice and lonely."

"Shut up, Hades." Zeus glared at his brother, who continued to smirk.

 **They marched up the hill to the mess hall's pavilion. Satyrs joined the campers from the meadow. Naiads emerged from the canoeing lake. A few other girls came out of the trees, as if they were a part of them. Andi speculated that they were dryads.**

 **In all, there were maybe a hundred campers, a few dozen satyrs, and a dozen assorted wood nymphs and naiads.**

 **At the pavilion, torches blazed around the marble columns. A central fire burned in a bronze brazier the size of a bathtub. Each cabin had its own table, covered in white cloth trimmed in purple. Three of the tables were empty, but cabin eleven's was way overcrowded. Andi could see Percy having to squeeze on to the edge of a bench with half his bum hanging off. That had to be uncomfortable.**

 **And herself? Well, she sat at her own large table, all alone…** _ **joy**_ **.**

"Ah, segregation...Zeus' greatest idea."

"Shut. Up. Hades."

 **She saw Grover sitting at table twelve with Mr. D, a few satyrs, and a pair of plump blond boys who looked just like Mr. D; Chiron stood to one side, the picnic table being way too small for a centaur.**

 **Annabeth sat at table six with a bunch of serious-looking athletic kids, all with her gray eyes and honey-blond hair.**

 **Clarisse sat in front of her at the Ares' table. She was laughing and belching right alongside her friends. Andi scrunched her nose at the crude behavior.**

"So gross," Aphrodite said in agreement. She was so glad all children she had with Ares took mostly after her...aside from those two boys...

 **Finally, when everyone had arrived, Chiron pounded his hoof against the marble floor of the pavilion, and everybody fell silent. He raised a glass. "To the gods!"**

 **Everybody else raised their glasses. "To the gods!"**

"To us!" Apollo and Hermes agreed, raising their glasses.

"Huzzah." Dionysus 'cheerfully' raised his diet coke.

 **Wood nymphs came forward with platters of food: grapes, apples, strawberries, cheese, fresh bread, and barbecue. The sky child's glass was empty, but Katie from a bit over said, "Speak to it. Whatever you want-nonalcoholic though."**

"Worst limitation ever." Dionysus scoffed.

 **Andi smirked at that, so enchanted cups too? "Butterbeer." She said and the magical smooth butterscotch drink filled the cup, but the girl hummed with an adventurous look in her eyes, "Make it Gryffindor red, with gold flakes." She added with a giddy grin and the cool liquid changed to the stated colors. She took a sip and licked her lips, feeling a little bit at home from drinking the familiar brew.**

 **Andi loaded her plate and was about to end the grumbling in her tummy, when she noticed everybody getting up, carrying their plates towards the fire in the center of the pavilion. She wondered what was up, but decided to follow with her own plate, still not used to the traditions here.**

 **Katie explained that they offered portions of their meals to the gods, usually their godly parent, in the fire pit.**

 **Apparently they liked the burnt smell.**

"It's better than eating leftovers," Poseidon said with a dry smile.

"Pre-chewed, at least he cared somewhat." Hera joked darkly.

"Hera, Poseidon, please..." Hestia sighed.

 **She was really starting to like Katie. The daughter of Demeter was just so helpful. The girl inwardly shrugged at the burning perfectly good food as an offering bit though, she had heard of weirder things. So, why not?**

 **As her turn came, Andi took a fresh butter melting loaf of bread and said, "Zeus."**

 **When Andi caught a whiff of the smoke, she surprisingly didn't gag.**

 **It smelled nothing like burning food. It smelled of warm cider, steak on the grill and fresh lilies, and a hundred other good things that shouldn't have gone well together, but did. Having smelt it herself, she could believe that the gods just lived off this amazing scent alone.**

 **When everybody had returned to their seats and finished eating their meals, Chiron pounded his hoof again for their attention.**

"More effective than a gavel." Apollo muttered.

"Or a lightning bolt." Hermes mumbled.

 **Mr. D got up with a huge sigh. "Greetings and all that you lot. Now, Capture the Flag is tomorrow night, so sharpen your blades and be sure to use the pointed end on other people and not yourselves." He glanced at table one, "Also, I should tell you that our other new camper has finally decided to grace the pavilion. Amanda Potts."**

"Nice."

"What?" Dionysus asked.

"Nothing." Apollo mumbled.

"Dionysus, must you get their names wrong?" Rhea asked, a frown on her face.

"Compared to the alternative, Mother, it's not that bad." Zeus rumbled.

"The alternative?" Rhea inquired.

"I used to turn them into animals, send them back to their parents. It was jolly good fun," Dionysus said with a smile. He scowled. "Then Athena had to throw a hissy fit..."

"You turned my son into a barn owl...He was killed by a hunter." Athena glared at Artemis.

"A _male, inebriated_ Hunter." Artemis reminded.

 **Chiron murmured something.**

 **"Er, Andi Potter," Mr. D corrected. "That's right. Hurrah, and all that. Now run along to your silly campfire. Go on."**

 **Everybody cheered. They all headed down toward the amphitheater, where Apollo's cabin led a sing-along. They sang camp songs about the gods and ate s'mores and joked around, and the funny thing was, Andi didn't feel that anyone was staring at her anymore, that she was just one of the gang.**

 **Later in the evening, when the last dying sparks from the campfire were crackling into a starry sky, the conch horn blew again, and they all filed back to their cabins.**

 **Andi closed the large door of her cabin and saw the statue, ever vigilant, staring. She grabbed her sleeping bag and started to move it around until she finally found a spot in the corner where the statue couldn't see her. She tugged along her stuff and plopped down in the bag.**

 **She rummaged through her messenger bag and found something that warmed her heart a bit after such a tough day. Taking out her wand, she cast a quick sticking charm and placed the object that offered her so much comfort, a photo, on the wall by her head, "Miss you guys." She whispered to the people in the image.**

"Gee, I wonder who that could be?" Leo asked.

"First year picture." Percy bet. "Magical."

 **It was a picture of her, Hermione, and Ron at the end of their first year when she got out of the infirmary. She still had a few bandages on her cheeks and such, but her arms were looped around both her best friends' necks, grinning like a loon. Ron had his silly smile on while Hermione gave her own polite one as their heads were bunched together. It wasn't one of the moving photos that magicals used, as she liked the moment just as it was.**

"Darn." Percy frowned.

 **It was a symbol of her first trial of her life as a witch.**

"Burn the witch!"

"Shut up, Leo." Hazel grunted.

"Oh, right...Sorry."

"It's fine."

 **She was just about to fall asleep when she noticed something, almost hidden behind the wall. Iron rungs that led upward-a ladder.**

 **"What's that?" she muttered, walking over to it. Her curiosity getting the better of her, she grasped a rung, as she planted her foot on the bottom one and proceeded upward. In short order, Andi made it to a small trap door. Pushing it open, she popped her head out. To her surprise she had emerged from the side of the dome roof of her cabin and onto a flat ledge, pointing north.**

 **She could see the whole Long Island Sound proceeding across the nightly horizon from where she was.**

 **She was so far up, and at such an angle, that no one could possibly even see her. Not even those patrol harpies that enforced curfew which Annabeth had warned her about.**

"...Oh, that so figures..." Poseidon rumbled.

"What?" Zeus asked.

"Nothing."

 **Looking up the magical demigod, found herself gazing at a sea of stars that glittered like diamonds. Her blue eyes filled with awe at the sight. She had seen the stars before, in astronomy class, but somehow, they looked cleaner, brighter here at camp.**

 **Andi was mesmerized. To add to her wonder at the spectacle, just as she blinked, a shooting star blinked by, which caused her lips to curl into a small smile.**

 **Encouraged by the amazing vista before her, Andi mustered her courage to do what she had wanted to do since the moment she discovered her true parentage. Talk to her father. Closing her eyes, she said, "Hullo, um, Zeus…" she paused, unsure what to feel right now, "Nice night, huh?" the breeze on this beautiful summer night was the only answer she got, "Yeah, I guess it is. So...you're my dad...gotta admit, didn't see that coming."**

"It is a bit out of left field," Percy said with a nod.

"Only to newbies," Annabeth said. "Or those who aren't so good in their Latin class."

"You're going to hold that against me forever, aren't you."

 **It made Andi wonder if she was conceived before or after her mum married James. It was a terrible feeling to think she might be the product of her mother having an affair, she was so confused about it that she didn't want to think her mum would do such a thing. But the thought kept worming its way into her mind every so often.**

 **Andi shook her head, no, she shouldn't focus on that. Optimism was the way to go, negative thinking led to bad things. She just had to roll with the punches and find the good, that was how she had always did things.**

 **Offering the sky a forced smile, since smiles made everything better, Andi said, "I...don't know what you want from me, or if I need to do something. I'll admit, I'm confused as all hell. From what I hear, it takes a while for kids to get claimed, so… Um… What I mean is, just, thanks for claiming me. I think." she murmured that last line, at the same time her fingers brushed one of her lightning bolt hair clips unconsciously.**

"It's entirely not a good thing," Thalia said under her breath.

Zeus frowned slightly, having heard her.

 **She wasn't honestly sure what to think about her claiming. On the one hand, she was glad she was claimed so quickly as even as short as a time as she'd had to spend with the other campers, she'd already heard plenty about how crappy it was to be unclaimed, especially if you went as such for a long time. But on the other hand? Well, she knew when something smelled fishy. And she was certain that Zeus had an ulterior motive for acting so out of character for a god and claiming her so quickly.**

 **She could only wonder what was going on. With those heavy thoughts on her mind, the young Potter spent a couple hours just sitting on the roof of her cabin stargazing in silence until her exhaustion finally caught up with her again. She retreated back down into the cabin proper to catch some sleep.**

 **As she got back to her sleeping bag, she quickly grabbed her messenger bag to use as a pillow. It was lumpy but a softening charm fixed that issue.** _ **Gotta get a proper bed soon, or at least a pillow**_ **, she thought to herself as her eyes closed to the smooth rumbles of the mosaic ceiling.**

 **And that was her first** _ **official**_ **day at Camp Half-Blood.**

"Not so bad," Percy said. "Least she didn't get doused by toilet water."

"...Yeah, thanks for reminding me." Annabeth grumbled.

 **For the first time ever, Andi felt, dare she say it, at home. A feeling that even the big magical castle in Scotland didn't give her.**

 **It was at that time, something snapped at number 4 Privet Drive, crumbling down as if it was a sand castle wall.**

 **At the same time, a twirling silver device in Hogwarts went haywire, alerting an old man of what had happened.**

"Oh snap. Safety changed." Apollo chuckled. He reclined in his throne. "This ought to be good."

 **It was Friday morning when Andi raised her head out of her sleeping bag. She yawned as she looked out the window of her still way too big cabin and saw the early sun rising in the sky, it was about six or seven or so her internal clock stated. She was always an early riser, not on her own merit mind you.**

 **She felt her ire rise as the reasons for her early bird tendencies crossed her mind, but she calmed herself down as she breathed deeply. She had stuff to do today, right? Andi had to talk to Chiron. She wasn't going to waste time getting angry about** _ **those people**_ **when she had important stuff to settle.**

 **After a quick shower and a change into her camp attire with her wand strapped to her as always, she quickly brushed her bangs, and she was ready for the day.**

 **Just as she exited the showers the hoot of an owl sounded off. Andi turned her head to see a snowy owl that she knew, "Hedwig!" she said in surprise and the bird flew to her extended arm. Andi petted her owl as it nipped affectionately at her finger, "How'd you even find me girl?" she questioned as the owl held out her chest in a proud hoot.**

"Proud birds are very annoying." Poseidon mumbled, glancing at his brother and rival.

"...Is this the one where Annabeth gets nailed by bird droppings?" Thalia asked.

Annabeth growled and folded her arms over her chest.

Percy withheld a snicker.

Barely.

 **Andi rolled her eyes, "Ah, yes, I forgot who I was talking to." She said in humor to the cheeky bird before letting out a smile, "Glad you're here girl, I needed somebody from home after the day I had yesterday." She murmured.**

 **Hedwig hooted in worry and hopped to her owner's shoulder as she nestled her head into Andi's.**

"Aww, how adorable," Rhea said with a smile.

Athena smirked smugly at Poseidon, who rolled his eyes.

"Please, Mother thinks any living creature smaller than her is adorable."

"What was that, Poseidon?"

"Nothing, Mother."

 **Andi stroked the owl's feathers kindly, "Thanks girl." She muttered. Andi was glad she had let Hedwig out for some exercise before she left. The owl likely would have died if she was left in her cage. She highly doubted the Dursleys would have fed the bird; they would have probably left her for dead just to spite Andi.**

"Free dinner though."

Athena snapped a glare over at Ares, who grinned.

"Am I wrong?"

 **Excited by her pet's arrival and eager to show off her new home, the daughter of Zeus walked around the camp a bit, telling Hedwig all about the stuff she got into** _ **this**_ **time, as the owl bobbed her head in understanding. As she passed Cabin Seven, the witch could see the children of Apollo were already up and about too, kinda obvious as to why. She waved to Katie as she passed the space in front of the cabins, just as she and her siblings were going to check the strawberry field after having just finished breakfast. Andi assumed that as children of the goddess of agriculture, they had inherited a farmer's mentality to rise with the sun also.**

"Farmers love me." Apollo grinned cheekily.

"Yes, your stench makes them stir from slumber and your appearance makes them duck their heads down while they work."

Apollo frowned at his twin and then did a pit check.

"I don't stink!"

"You're full of gas, Apollo."

"...Did you just make a-?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Artemis muttered, a sly smile on her face.

 **Hedwig was perched on her head as she entered the pavilion for a quick breakfast of bread, cereal, and orange juice. She of course remembered to give some bits of bread to her feathered friend to nibble on.**

"Hard to forget with talons digging into your scalp." Poseidon mused. He smirked when Athena glared at him.

 **After breakfast, she headed towards the big house next and saw Chiron reading a book while in wheelchair form on the porch, resting calmly in the warm sun coming over the valley. He no doubt heard her coming as he turned his head with a smile, "Greetings Andi, early worm I see." He said with a nod of approval.**

 **"Yeah." Was all Andi said as she frowned, once again reminded of** _ **why**_ **she was such. Thankfully Chiron could tell it was an uncomfortable topic and didn't pursue the matter. Instead, the old centaur saw the owl on her head and cracked a faint smile, but said nothing, finding more humor in not speaking of it.**

"That's Chiron for you," Percy said with a snicker.

 **"Well, I'm sure you have questions my dear."**

 **"No doubt about that one." Andi said, taking one of the chairs near the table he was sitting by. Hedwig jumped to the porch railing, ruffling her feathers a tad, and closed her eyes.**

 **"Tell me, who am I?"**

"Who am-Man, I'd like to get the second line out before you threaten me once." Apollo dully informed his twin, who held an arrow to his throat.

"Should try to be faster then," Artemis said dryly.

"What? Like Herm? Nah, that's his thing. He's the quick shot."

"...See if I ever deliver your car mags again..." Hermes mumbled.

 **And so he did. She was a child of the Sky Lord, a child of the Big Three. Which meant she would have inherited some of her father's powers over wind, lightning, and storms. Powers that would be so formidable that weak monsters would scurry away from her, leaving only the strongest to challenge her and do their best to kill her. That as a result of this, she would most likely have to stay in camp for the rest of her life since it would be too dangerous in the outside world, what with so many monsters and even some gods after her. Andi was unsure how to respond to that. She already had a wraith after her, but monsters and gods too?**

 **Man, she just couldn't catch a break.**

 **Then Chiron dropped the bomb.**

"And the whole camp exploded." Ares chuckled. "Tragic."

"If only..." Dionysus sighed.

 **About sixty years ago, after World War II, the Big Three agreed they wouldn't sire any more heroes. Their children, like her, were just too powerful.**

"Hax galore." Leo snickered.

 **Andi's light show from the other day was a clear example of that. They were affecting the course of mortal events too much, causing too much carnage. A fact proven by World War II, which was a fight between children of the Big Three. The winning side, Zeus and Poseidon, made Hades swear an oath with them: No more affairs with mortal women. A oath that they all swore on the River Styx.**

 **And Andi figured that was a pretty big thing with how serious Chiron looked.**

"It was...and you two broke it..." Rhea frowned at her sons. "And one of you killed the mother of children who were born _before_ the pact."

"..." Zeus had the decency to keep quiet at his mother's glare.

 **The trainer observed the girl as the news of her birth being forbidden settled in. He could see the ranging emotions going through her eyes, before they steeled, looking right into his own. But he could still see the uncertainty in them though, no matter how well she hid it.**

 **"Is that why my life sucked? Because of the oath? Why my sister died?" she asked the centaur in a soft yet crisp tone.**

 **Chiron was not very surprised at the mention of the first daughter of Zeus. No doubt Annabeth mentioned Thalia to the girl before him, but nodded, "Yes, as an immortal, your father got the easier end of it so to say while-"**

 **"Thalia and I got the short end of it all, right?" Andi interrupted in an accusing tone, her face barely able to stay calm with the anger bubbling in her, as wind begin to circle around her body, coiling as if a viper waiting to strike.**

"Snakes. Why's it gotta be snakes?"

"...I don't...Is that a reference?" Hazel asked.

"...Frank...Just...Just go. Go die." Leo groaned as he rubbed his eyes.

"I'm considering it."

 **"Yes."**

 **Andi remained silent as he continued explaining the basics about being a demigod, but he could see the hurt and anger in the girl's eyes. He went on at length, Andi asking a question here or there. By the time he was done, Andi's face was set in a stoic mask, giving nothing away.**

 **It seemed that she had finally got her rhythm back the centaur observed.**

 **"That is truly all of it, Andi. Questions?"**

"What are you smoking? Follow up: Where can I get some?"

"Hermes!"

"What? I'd ask it if I were a mortal."

 **The ancient trainer of heroes asked kindly.**

 **Receiving a negative shake of her head from his young charge, he continued. "If that's the case here is the last thing I have for you: your weekly schedule." The trainer said as he handed Andi a piece of printed-paper that she promptly looked over.**

 _ **08:00 AM-09:00 AM: Breakfast and cabin inspection**_

 _ **09:00 AM-10:30 AM: Ancient Greek with Annabeth**_

 _ **10:30 AM-11:00 AM: Magic lessons with Alabaster**_

 _ **11:00 AM-12:00 PM: Archery with Chiron, Sword skills, Javelin throwing, Monster assault techniques, or Pegasus riding**_

 _ **12:00 PM-12:30 PM: Greek Mythology with Grover**_

 _ **12:30 PM-1:30 PM: Lunch**_

 _ **1:30 PM-3:30 PM: Foot races, Tracking skills, Wrestling, or Volleyball**_

 _ **3:30 PM-5:00 PM: Laundry, Cabin clean up, or Climbing wall**_

 _ **5:00 PM-6:00 PM: Free time**_

 _ **6:00 PM-7:00 PM: Dinner**_

 _ **7:00 PM-9:00 PM: Volleyball league, Unarmed combat, Archery knockout, Trials of strength, or Capture the Flag (Friday: Armored gear required, all magical items permitted)**_

 _ **9:00 PM-10:00 PM: Campfire sing-along with Apollo's cabin**_

 _ **10:00 PM: Prepare for bed, lights out by 11:00 PM**_

"Which is lame."

"Piper..." Jason sighed.

"It's lame," Piper said simply. "I used to be up all night playing my video games-"

Leo cleared his throat.

"Okay, _Leo's_ video games."

"Better."

 **"Well, it seems you have me all planned out." Andi said, going over it again, "Who's Alabaster?" she questioned with a blink.**

 **"A son of Hecate. One of the best of her children I've seen for quite a while in the mystic arts. If anyone can teach you proper magic, it's him." Chiron answered.**

 **Andi narrowed her eyes in thought, "But I go to a magic school. I've learned from teachers who have degrees in teaching magic." Even though they weren't really the best.**

There was a resounding snort of agreement from everyone in the room.

 **Chiron breathed through his nose, clearly upset at the insinuation that wizards knew the first thing about teaching magic properly, "You use a wand child, they are training wheels to the true practitioners of the art. The wand movements and wand in general are not needed, they are just a helpful foci that later on cripples magic users since they come to rely so heavily on them. Trust me." he said to her, having seem his share of magical demigods before, he knew this to be fact, "Why, I even trained your half-brother Godric."**

 **Andi's eyes bugged out, "Wait, you trained Godric Gryffindor?** _ **The**_ **Godric Gryffindor? I'm his half-sister?!" she gasped in surprise.**

"Whoa...I didn't see _that_ coming!" Apollo gasped.

"You can't. Python is back at Delphi."

Apollo scowled at Athena. "Thanks for the reminder..."

 **Chiron smile at getting her off guard with that comment, "Yes, I trained both him and Salazar."**

 **"Then what about Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff?" Andi asked with confusion.**

 **Chiron gave a shrug, "I am unsure." he answered, "But whatever their ancestry, they were certainly not purely mortal."**

"What can we say? You monkeys know how to get your freak on." Apollo grinned at the demigods.

"...Yes, thank you, Apollo." Rhea smiled forcefully at her grandson. "That was a _lovely_ image you just gave me."

"...Sorry, Gram."

 **"They were all demigods too? Of other gods besides the Greeks, maybe?" The child of Zeus asked.**

 **"Who can tell." Chiron deflected and continued on,**

"Oh, great." Zeus rubbed his head. Just what he needed to hear after Hades' daughter's tale.

 **"Slytherin was a child of Hecate. He and Godric were a pair of the finest magical demigods to be trained by myself." He said with pride. "Though their rivalry could get to be a bit too much at times."**

 **Andi looked a bit pale at the news that at least half, and possibly all, of her school's founders were demigods, "It explains so much, I mean, how strong they were and everything. I knew about the Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry bit, it's a part of Hogwart's history too. But the rest? Wow!" Andi said as she shot Chiron a wan smile.**

 **"Yes, and they used magic the right way, not the wand waving way." Chiron stated with a twinkle in his eye. "Though they did pick up wands for those among their students who needed help."**

 **"Can I start learning now?" Andi gushed, wanting to know how to properly use her magic.**

 **"You'll have to wait." He said to her and chuckled at her pout. He looked at the sun and blinked, "Hm, still about seven ten, fifty minutes before breakfast."**

"Didn't she already eat?" Leo asked.

Apollo grinned. "Oh...I remember what happens next."

"...Dammit." Zeus grumbled.

 **"But I already ate." Andi said with a blink.**

 **Chiron nodded to this, "Then why not head to the archery range? Lee should be there with his siblings for morning practice."**

 **"Apollo cabin?" she asked and got a nod, "Um sure, to be honest, archery looked interesting to me."**

"And then some."

"Aphrodite!"

"Oh, don't deny it, Demeter. You like Apollo's boys, too."

"They get all those looks from me, you know." Apollo grinned at the goddess of agriculture.

"Apollo!" Demeter turned a healthy shade of gold.

"What? I ain't lyin'."

 **The old archer's face broke into a smile, "Well, some practice before I teach you would do you some good then. Hopefully, you'll fare better than Percy," he grimaced, "Now, off you go my dear. I need to prepare for the day." He said kindly.**

 **Andi flushed, "Oh, sorry." She muttered to him for wasting his time with her issues.**

 **He waved it off, "Think nothing of it." He assured as he wheeled into the big house.**

 **Andi stood and turned to Hedwig, seeing the owl still asleep. The girl poked her feathered friend, who in spite of that, refused to wake up, "Fine, sleep. You've earned it. I'll go do something productive for the day girl." She ruffled the head of the owl and scampered off to the archery range.**

"They make her sound like a cute little animal."

"Mother..." Zeus sighed.

"Well, she is rather petite..."

"Poseidon, shut it."

 **The first thing she noted was that almost all of the children of the sun were sun-kissed blond and had sky blue eyes that complimented their handsome/pretty features . As she walked over and made introductions with the head of Apollo cabin, Lee Fletcher. They welcomed her for some practice. He was even nice enough to say that he would help her out.**

 **That boy Will was there as well. He had literally shot forward and said he would help her out too, much to Andi's confusion and Lee's apparent amusement.**

"Yeah, go Will!" Apollo cheered. He noticed the scowling Nico and grinned. "Oh, don't worry, Nico, I'm sure Will is _willing_ to share."

"...Did you just make a pun with your son's name?" Artemis asked dryly.

"It felt right." Apollo shrugged.

 **After getting her a bow for her size, Will showed her the proper stance and fixed any errors he saw. He blushed whenever he adjusted her form for some reason, but Andi just shook it off. Maybe it was a teaching thing between his siblings? Wanting to show he could to do it.**

 **She made her first shot, nailing it in the ring before the bulls-eye's one. Excitement swelled in her for getting close to the bulls-eye and her stubborn determination made her want to keep going until she could get it right in the middle.**

 **After about five shots, in which she managed to keep getting closer to the middle ring, fixing her feet here or her shoulders there, just to get into a more comfortable position while shooting.**

 **Will noted that the wind was ignoring her shots, and Lee speculated that since she was the child of the sky god, her powers might include some aspect that made the wind ignore her shots unless she willed it to get in her way.**

"Hax! I call hax!" Apollo jeered.

Zeus smirked. "Prove it."

"...Only Arte and I should be that good at using bow and arrows."

"She had to improve her skills, Apollo."

"Arte...She could try and take your place."

"Now you're just being petty."

"Well, yeah! It's what we do!"

 **On her sixth shot, Andi hit the bulls-eye ring and she gave Will a half hug out of thanks while jumping a bit in excitement. He was just smiled at that, happily ignoring his siblings' snickers.**

Nico scowled and Thalia grumbled under his breath.

"...Well, maybe I'll be an uncle in that life."

Thalia and Nico then glared at Jason, along with Zeus, while Hades scoffed.

"Believe me, _nephew_ , it's overrated."

 **They continued to shoot to around 8:50 and much to her joy on her last shot, she got her first perfect bulls-eye.**

 **Andi smirked; she really liked using a bow.**

"Bullcrap..." Apollo grumbled. Artemis rolled her eyes.

 **It was the afternoon and Andi had just finished doing the climbing wall. She got singed a bit, but the girl just imagined the lava as the Drakon she had faced when she climbed the statue of Slytherin to avoid being a snack. Using that imagery to help her focus, she had successfully conquered the wall too.**

 **Right now though, she was taking a break and trying to think up what she could do during Capture the Flag.**

 **Annabeth had told her after their ancient Greek reading session when Percy left earlier in the day about it. The two had proceeded to make an alliance between Athena and Zeus cabin in exchange for stories from Annabeth about Thalia. The blonde was surprised at such a simple request when she would have just done that anyway if asked, but Andi assured her that was all she wanted. And from the stories she got, well, Andi could tell that if she had ever met Thalia, they'd either be the best of sisters or be arguing left and right at how similar they were.**

"Probably the latter." Annabeth mused.

Thalia frowned at her. "Annie…"

"Thalia, be honest with yourself."

"...I would get along with her."

"People who are _too_ similar tend to be the most difficult to get to work together."

"Like you planning without telling me the plan." Percy pointed out.

"I _told_ you the plan, Kelp Head. You just went off without listening to a word I said!"

"You never told me the plan-!"

"Percy, Thalia, this is exactly what I was talking about." Annabeth sighed.

 **The Potter told the child of wisdom as much and assured Annabeth that she would win every argument, getting the blonde to playfully push the shorter girl and roll her stormy grey eyes.**

 **"So I got this spell, it's a stunner! Bam!" Andi said, punching her palm with her little fist, "Won't even see it coming."**

"Psh, now I will." Thalia snorted.

"Don't think she was talking about you, Thalia."

"Quiet, Jason."

 **she told Thalia as she lounged against her trunk, "Besides, that... Well, I dunno... I mean, I don't have a lot of spells to help me out. Chiron wanted me to ease off the magic lessons today to save my energy for tonight. He thinks I might pass out again or something." the child of Zeus rolled her eyes, "I'm perfectly fine though. Well at least I, finally, get my first real magic lesson tomorrow, cool right?"**

"Does she get a top hat?" Percy asked.

"Percy...Wrong magic."

"No, no...He's got a point. Rhode and Alkaid are destined to be knockouts," Hermes said with a grin. "Dressed like sexy magicians..."

Leo, Apollo, Hermes, Ares and even Percy succumbed to the dopey grins that crossed their faces.

They were quickly snapped out of their dazes by respective others, friends or family.

"OW!" echoed in the room until the Seer appeared.

"Who's hurt? What happened and why...do I feel like I missed something hilarious and awesome?" he asked.

"No one is hurt, Seer, just a few boys being boys," Rhea said with a kind smile.

"Oh...Ahem. Carry on, then." The Seer vanished in a flash of light.

"Such a nice man," Rhea sighed. Unaware of the glowers on the Big Three's faces, she nodded to her grandson. "Read on, Nico."

 **The branches just swayed in a light breeze.**

 **"Yeah, I thought so."**

 **Andi just kept chatting to the tree, she was sure her sister was lonely after all these years. Andi knew how horrible that feeling could be and so was determined to alleviate it for Thalia as much as possible now that she could. Plus, it made her feel a bit more connected to her older sister when she talked to her tree. And to be honest, she felt safe around the pine. Andi had noticed of course that everything she was doing was looked upon and judged one could say by the other campers.**

 **It angered her, to be judged by people who didn't even know her; it just honestly pissed her off.**

"Ah, so _that's_ why you were so quick to claim the realm of law and order." Poseidon said to the King of Olympus, a grin on his face.

"Shut up, Poseidon." Zeus grumbled with a glare.

"I will...For now."

Zeus scowled heavily at his brother, who only grinned in return.

 **So what if she was a child of Zeus? She was also half mortal too dammit; she wasn't going to be the best at everything she touched, so why did they expect her to be some super child? She shook her head and took a deep breath to calm herself since her powers were acting up again. After her breath, she looked up.**

 **Hedwig was up on one of the branches, sleeping. Lazy bird.**

"Not. One. Word." Athena warned her rival, who looked ready to speak.

"...Hades?"

"So, during our meetings, when your eyes are closed, are you thinking or napping?" Hades asked in Poseidon's stead. While Athena and Zeus glared at him, as it could be dealt to either, he turned to Poseidon. "There. Now we're even."

"Indeed we are, brother. Indeed we are."

 **Though the sight of her feathered friend brought up a funny memory. When she had introduced Annabeth to the owl earlier at lunch, the owl had landed on the blonde's head which caused the girl to think the bird liked her. But Hedwig just pooped on her head, and promptly fled from the blonde to the pine tree to roost.**

"...Percy, one peep out of you, and _you'll_ be bird food."

Percy tried not to laugh while the other demigods did.

He cracked a smile.

"You'd better sleep with one eye open, mister."

"Annabeth, come on!"

"Humph!" Annabeth just pointedly looked away from him.

 **In response, Annabeth had sworn revenge on the sacred animal of her mother, or at least this one.**

 **It was still hilarious though.**

"Oh yeah." Leo snickered.

"Hi-larious," Piper said through her giggles.

"You guys suck." Annabeth pouted.

"Do they spit or swallow?"

"ARES!"

"And he was doing so well, too." Aphrodite sighed. She was so impressed and willing to give him a reward for good behavior.

 **As Andi continued to relax under her sister's tree, she took in the sights a bit and looked to the lake pier to see Percy and Grover. She waved her arm up high at them as Percy waved back while Grover gave a bit of a weaker one. They seemed to just be chatting too.**

 **That night after dinner, there was a lot more excitement than what Andi remembered from yesterday. It was time for Capture the Flag.**

"Best. Game. Ever."

"Do you have to say that every time?" Jason asked.

"As a matter of fact, yes. Yes I do." Percy huffed. "Just like I have to remind all of you that _blue_ is best."

"Debateable." Thalia scoffed.

"There is no argument."

"Percy, Thalia, please let your cousin finish," Rhea said to her grandchildren.

"Yes, Lady Rhea-"

"Grandmother, dears."

Thalia and Percy shared a look before they corrected themselves. "Yes, Grandmother."

 **When the plates were cleared away, the conch horn sounded and everyone stood at their tables waiting.**

 **Campers yelled and cheered as Annabeth and two of her siblings ran into the pavilion carrying a silk banner. It was about ten feet long, glistening gray, with a painting of a barn owl above an olive tree. From the opposite side of the pavilion, Clarisse and her siblings ran in with another banner, of identical size, but gaudy red, painted with a bloody spear and a boar's head.**

"Beautiful." Ares wiped a fake tear from his eye and sniffed.

"Arguable." Athena drawled.

 **Andi turned to Katie at table four. Andi asked if the teams were always Ares and Athena. Katie, helpful as always, answered that it was just most of the time.**

 **Just as Katie finished explaining that little bit of trivia, the teams were announced. Athena had made an alliance with Zeus, Apollo, and Hermes, the two biggest cabins and what some joked was their 'Secret Weapon'. Apparently, privileges had been traded-shower times, chore schedules, and the best slots for activities-in order to win support.**

"Also, sexy time photos."

"Apollo!" Artemis glared at her brother.

Apollo pointed at Annabeth. "She made the deal."

Percy looked at his girlfriend, whose face turned bright red.

"...I didn't make those deals." Annabeth quickly hissed.

"Her brother did." Athena glared at Apollo. "After your daughter talked him into it."

"Hey, she knows what she likes." Apollo shrugged.

 **Ares had allied themselves with everybody else: Dionysus, Demeter, Aphrodite, and Hephaestus. From what Andi had seen, Dionysus's kids were actually good athletes, but there were only two of them. Demeter's kids had the edge with nature skills and outdoor stuff but they weren't very aggressive, unless you got on their bad side. From the Aphrodite campers, she didn't have to worry too much. They mostly sat out every activity and checked their reflections in the lake, did their hair and gossiped. Hephaestus' kids were rough looking, and there were only four of them, but they were big and burly from working in the metal shop all day. They might be a problem. That, of course, left Ares' cabin: a dozen of the biggest, ugliest, meanest kids she'd ever seen.**

"And beaten by the dreaded toilet water."

"Piss off, Jackson." Ares sneered at the demigod.

 **Andi's examination of her opposition was interrupted by Chiron hammering his hoof on the marble.**

 **"Heroes!" he announced. "You know the rules. The creek is the boundary line. The entire forest is fair game. All magic items are allowed. The banner must be prominently displayed, and have no more than two guards. Prisoners may be disarmed, but may not be bound or gagged. No killing or maiming is allowed. I will serve as referee and battlefield medic. Arm yourselves!"**

"Isn't that a bit contradictory?" Frank asked. "Arm yourself, after warning not to kill or maim."

"...Just sit and enjoy, Zhang." Ares grunted, his own head spinning in confusion.

 **He spread his hands, and the tables were suddenly covered with equipment: helmets, bronze swords, spears, and ox hide shields coated in metal.**

 **Andi scanned over the spread to see what she wanted. For armor she grabbed a rough leather cuirass, since she didn't want to be bulked down by the heavier armor. Next some greaves and armbands made out of bronze. She grabbed a quiver of arrows and threw it over her shoulder along with a bow. Last, she snagged a short sword and tied the sheath around her waist.**

 **The child of Zeus already had her wand and invisibility cloak with her, but out of Chiron's suggestion, she left the ring in her cabin so she didn't kill someone. Andi took a blue headband and tied it around her forehead, not wanting a clunky helmet in the way of her eyesight. Looking over to the rest of blue team, a sight made her laugh.**

"...Oh, no..." Percy groaned as his image appeared on screen.

"Not so fun when it's you whose being made fun of, is it, Seaweed Brain?" Annabeth asked, smirking.

 **Percy had a shield that was the size of a large sign, with a big caduceus in the middle, and looked like he could barely lift it. He had a helmet, like all the helmets on Athena's side, which had a blue horsehair plume on top.**

Leo, Piper, Hazel, Frank and Jason started to laugh.

Thalia and Nico smirked.

Percy rubbed his face in embarrassment.

 **Ares and their allies had red plumes.**

 **Annabeth yelled, "Blue team, forward!"**

 **Blue team cheered and shook their swords and followed her down the path to the southern end of the woods. The red team yelled taunts at them as they headed off north.**

 **Andi rushed up to Annabeth at around the same time as Percy, who looked like he was almost tripping over his gear, "Hey." Percy said to the blonde.**

 **She kept marching, but turned to the other girl, "Andi, you're with Apollo cabin, some magic could help out." Annabeth said abruptly, ignoring a frowning Percy.**

"Hurtful."

"Shut up, Percy."

 **"Gotcha." Andi nodded as she rushed forward to meet up with Lee, who was leading the team of archers and was talking quickly with Luke.**

 **"Hey guys." Andi said to them.**

 **"Where's your helm, Squirt?" Luke asked as he smirked at the twitch in Andi's eye. Luke had apparently come up with a nickname for her. The blue eyed girl hated it instantly! And by his smirk, he knew it too.**

 **The jerk.**

"Biggest of jerks."

"Oh, he was being manipulated!" Hermes protested.

"Yes, because of his daddy issues." Ares smirked.

"That's because-!"

"Don't start." Zeus interjected firmly. He did not want to go through this roundabout blame game _again_. Especially with his mother glaring daggers at him.

 **"Don't need it." She said sharply, "Don't call me that."**

 **"Probably got some hocus pocus thing going on." Lee joked with a grin.**

 **"It's Mystiokinesis; don't call it something so lame feather-head." Andi frowned at the older archer, using the proper term for magic, something she'd only just learned during dinner when she'd briefly talked to Alabaster about her magical training.**

 **The councilor of Apollo cabin held his chest and had a mock pained look, "Ouch, last name jokes? How cruel, Potter."**

 **Andi rolled her eyes as the older boys laughed.**

 **They had the grace to stop after a moment or two though and get back on topic. Outlining their strategy, Luke said that they were going to take a small squad to move fast. The group consisted of Luke, 2 Hermes kids, Lee and about 3 Apollo kids along with Andi herself or as Lee teased, their 'Secret Weapon'.**

"Secret up until the clouds roll in and the sky lights up."

"Shut up, Poseidon." Zeus grumbled.

 **The conch horn blew. Whoops were shouted as blue team raced into the woods.**

 **They met three kids of Ares first. Luke acted fastest; knocking one kid out like it was second nature. The second one went down almost as quickly from a horde of blunt arrows from the Apollo team. The third one was Andi's. Using a quick** _ **Expelliarmus**_ **, she knocked his sword out of his hand, and finished him off with a** _ **Stupefy**_ **.**

"Magic is cheap." Thalia grunted out.

"You're _still_ mad at Alkaid?"

"Shut up, Annie, you know you are, too."

Annabeth had the decency to blush, as did Percy, for entirely different reasons.

 **They quickly moved on but soon found themselves waylaid as arrows suddenly came flying out of nowhere. They ducked behind some trees, but it wasn't enough. They still kept getting pelted.**

 **Andi rolled in front of the tree she was behind and held up her wand at the next volley, "** _ **Spongify!**_ **" As her spell hit, the arrows turned into Styrofoam. That surprised the mix of the Demeter and Dionysus cabins enough to give Lee and his siblings the opening they needed to return fire. Andi quickly joined in and soon their opponents were out of the fight.**

 **"Nice save Squirt, come on." Luke ordered as they continued through the woods as yells and clangs of metal could be heard all around.**

"This is like one of those battle scenes that goes on in the background while the main characters do something insignificant in comparison." Apollo mused.

"...This is insignificant?" Artemis asked.

"Kind of...I mean, we've already seen this, and the entire battle would be way more interesting to see as a whole, but, this is literature so we have to follow the protagonist." Apollo shrugged. "Cinematically, no one wants to follow one person during a war."

"Yeah!" Ares nodded firmly. "It's the one thing me and the sunspot agree on."

"...Well, that and Double D's are awesome no matter the situation."

Artemis whacked her twin and glared at the snickering oaf that was her brother.

Typical boys.

 **As they moved further into enemy territory, another group started to chase them as they headed to the flag. Andi turned to Luke and spoke, "I've got an idea, meet you at the flag." She said, separating from the group before Luke could even rebut.**

 **As she thought, at least a little more than half of the group chased after her, most likely seeing her as a 'bigger' target so to say. She fired some arrows at random to mess with the pursuers and ducked behind a tree before she whipped her cloak out and covered herself, making herself invisible to the oncoming group.**

"...I should do something about that." Hades grunted.

"Oh, come on." Poseidon sighed. "Why?"

"Invisibility is the lack of light, embracing one's non-existence in sight, i.e., the shadows."

"...Fair enough." Poseidon conceded.

 **"Where'd she go?" one asked, only to get shrugs in response; not giving up on their pursuit though, they fanned out to find her. Once they had scattered behind her, Andi dashed back in the direction of where the flag should be. After getting some distance, she took off the cloak and wrapped it around her waist again. It was kind of hard to run while wearing a cloak.**

 **She made it to the flag, and saw two kids guarding it. And one was Katie. Andi grimaced, she didn't like fighting friends, but her competitiveness was calling for a win. And seeing that Luke and Lee's group wasn't there yet, this would be the perfect chance for her to pull it off on her own. Wouldn't it show all those idiots up, when she won the game with practically no training? She couldn't wait to rub that into everyone's faces.**

 **She crept as silently as she could and took her bow out and aimed at the boy talking to Katie, nailing him on his helmet covered head, knocking him out with a thud.**

"With what? A blunted arrow?" Apollo asked.

"...Boxing glove arrow?" Leo suggested.

"...Hephaestus-!"

"NO! Apollo, for the hundredth time, NO! It's NEVER going to be a real thing!"

"Aww..." Apollo pouted.

 **Katie whirled around, sword in hand as Andi dropped her bow and quiver while pulling out her sword. This was the second time she ever held a real one, but Andi was confident in herself, "Hey Katie." the child of Zeus waved weakly, geez this felt awkward.**

 **"Hi Andi." Katie said with a smile of her own as she held her round shield in a guard position, "Going after the flag?" she asked, just shooting the breeze.**

 **"…Man this is awkward." Mumbled Andi, a frown on her face.**

"Not really, you just got called out is all." Ares shrugged.

 **Katie just shook her head, "Andi, have some fun. It's not we're trying to kill each other. It's just a game." She assured the new girl.**

 **Well that made Andi feel a bit better at having to fight her new friend. Andi held her sword tightly; her free hand clutched her wand. It was a beat of a second later that Andi moved. She was fast, which seemed to catch Katie by surprise, but the more experienced camper recovered quickly enough to block the first strike from Andi. The brunette swung her sword at Andi, showing far more technique than what the shorter girl had.**

"Aha! I knew it had to be the size!" Ares declared, slamming a fist onto the arm of his throne.

"It's not size, it's _technique_ ," Athena said, stressing the word. "Tactics!"

"Bah! Strength, Size, same thing. They're what matter most!"

"It's how one can counter the enemy, those are factors used under the mind!"

"The brains are just lucky bastards who can guess right!"

"...Do you even know how stupid you sound?"

"...Still stronger than you!"

"Athena! Ares! Enough!" Hera barked out. The two war deities went silent, glaring at one another.

The argument that had been persisting for millennia wasn't ending any time soon.

 **Andi tried her best to block, but Katie was starting to overwhelm her.**

 **Deciding to step things up, Andi aimed her wand at her friend. An** _ **Expelliarmus**_ **shot out of Andi's wand, knocking the shield from Katie's arm. Undeterred, the resident of Cabin Four charged at the child of Zeus, giving a few slashes that Andi blocked, if only barely. Already hard pressed by her more skilled opponent, the daughter of the sky's guard collapsed and she felt her leg get snagged. Andi looked down to see her leg held in place by vines.**

 **Capitalizing on the distraction of the daughter of Zeus, Katie moved to smack the butt of her sword on Andi's unprotected head in hopes of knocking her out.**

 **Andi caught sight of Katie's intentions just as the sword was about to make contact and yelped. The sound that escaped her lips was loud, far louder than it had any right being, it was as if the child of Zeus's cry was like a bomb had gone off. Katie went rigid at being hit by the sound at point blank and fell over with a thud.**

"...Oh, come on!" Apollo pouted childishly. "That's total BS! She gets a Canary Cry, but I can't even have Boxing Arrows?!"

"It's impractical!" Hephaestus bellowed.

"It's hilarious!"

"When would you use it!?"

"I dunno, if I was turned into a mortal again, maybe...though I must stress the _highly unlikeliness_ of that occurring!" Apollo gave a pointed fear-filled look aimed at his father.

Zeus was already weighing the pros and cons of such a thing.

...The pros were outweighing the cons.

 **Andi was stunned and stopped slashing the vines off her legs for a moment, "Uh, Katie? You okay?" she asked with worry. When she got no response, she quickly cut off the rest of the vines and ran over to her friend's side and began shaking the girl's shoulder a bit. Still getting no answer, Andi checked for a pulse and was thankful that the girl was still breathing.**

 **The child of Zeus was still worried about her friend though and was wondering what had happened, but once again her competitive nature overcame her.** _ **Katie'll be fine**_ **, she reasoned to herself as she headed for the flag.**

 **She was just a few paces away from the flag when Luke's group suddenly busted through the woods and saw Andi there.**

 **Blue eyes met and a silent challenge was made as they stared at one another.**

"Oh shit. It's on." Eyes went to Percy.

"It's ONNN!"

"...Ah, New Yorkers. They never fail to correctly capture the northern American Stereotype." Leo sighed. He played with his belt and stuck his jaw out a bit. "Unlike us good ol' Texans, yee-haw!"

"Nico, please, hurry up and read," Piper said while she tried to conceal a laugh at Leo's (ironically) very poor impersonation of a stereotypical Texan.

 **Both Andi and Luke rushed for the flag. With Luke's longer legs and more years of training competing against Andi's natural speed.**

 **It was a good thing she had a closer start.**

 **Andi snagged the flag a millisecond before Luke and held the long ugly red cloth with a grin.**

 **Luke gave her a playful glare and she felt the need to defend herself, "Well if you lot didn't take so long, maybe you would have taken down the guards."**

 **Luke rolled his eyes and snorted, "Fine Squirt, you earned it." He answered, "Now, let's go." He said as the group started to run.**

 **As they ran, the Hephaestus kids, who had apparently been tailing Luke's group for some time now, chased after them as Andi held the flag. Part way to the creek though, as Andi was distracted by avoiding being crushed by a honest to the gods boulder thrown their way by their pursuers, Luke grinned and swiped it with his natural born sticky fingers, getting a surprised look from the new girl.**

"That no good..." Zeus scowled.

"Like father, like son, as the saying goes," Athena said dryly.

Hermes and the Big Three looked heavily insulted.

 **"Hey!" Andi cried out as the older boy laughed.**

 **"It's capture the flag Andi, you'll get it one day!" he said, speeding up.**

 **Andi growled like a tiny tiger. The wind picked up suddenly as she shot off the ground. Flying over Luke,the daughter of Zeus snagged the flag back from the shocked older boy.**

 **"Hey!" Luke cried out this time.**

 **"It's capture the flag Luke, you'll get it one day!" Andi shouted back tauntingly as she flew over the creek even while the Apollo kids continued to fight off the pursuing members of Cabin Nine.**

 **"A trick!" Andi heard and saw Clarisse on the ground nearby holding a broken spear with Percy a stone's throw away from the stocky girl. The daughter of war was clearly upset as she shouted again, "It was a trick!"**

"I still don't understand how it could be a trick." Percy admitted with a shrug.

 **Andi landed in friendly territory in a tumble, stupefied that she actually was flying on her own power. When the blue team saw her land though they exploded into cheers. With good reason, they'd won. As evidenced by how the red banner shimmered and turned to gold. The boar and spear replaced with a huge lightning bolt, the symbol of Cabin One. Overcome by their desire to celebrate, her teammates picked up Andi as she squeaked (not that she would ever admit it) in surprise.**

 **"Put me down!" Andi shouted at them as they started carrying her around on their shoulders, ignoring the small girl. Chiron cantered out from the woods just as they finished the first full rotation of their impromptu parade around the clearing where Andi had landed and blew the conch horn.**

 **The game was over. They'd won.**

"Huzzah." Dionysus cheered dully.

 **Andi's head swiveled around as she looked through the throng of cheering campers, seeing Annabeth chatting with Percy, though the boy looked mad about something.**

 **Andi floated up and landed near the group that had been carrying her around, holding up her hands and the flag, "Look, guys, thanks for the attention, but easy on the girl-handling." she ordered. As while she liked attention at times (very much so), she did need some room to breath.**

 **She was about to continue when a howl ripped through the forest, interrupting her.**

"Ah, Luke's welcome present," Percy said dryly. "Right on cue."

"The least you could've done was compliment him," Hades said with a huff. "Honestly, Percy Jackson, do you know how hard it is for a demigod that wasn't one of mine summon a Hellhound like that?"

"...Very?"

" _Very_."

"...Oh...But-!"

"I don't care that it was sent to kill you, you should still respect your foes' skills."

 **The campers' cheering died instantly. Chiron shouted something in Ancient Greek, which Andi understood somehow as, "Stand ready! My bow!"**

"...Is he talking to his bow?" Frank asked.

"...Frank, do you talk to your bow?" Leo scoffed. "Of course he's-"

"Yes."

The demigods, and Ares, turned to look at the Canadian beefcake.

"Eh, that's not so weird. I talk to my bow." Thalia shrugged.

The twin children of Zeus nodded.

"The words of reinforcement keep it sturdy," Artemis said.

"And bring in the ladies." Apollo added.

"...Well, I think I realized why I'm not good with bows," Poseidon said dryly.

"Ditto." Percy mumbled. He might have to try that next time he practices archery.

 **Annabeth drew her sword as Percy looked confused while looking up in the direction of the howl.**

 **There on the rocks just above them was a black hound the size of a rhino, with lava-red eyes and fangs like daggers.**

 **It was looking straight at Percy.**

"Yum, a healthy Hellhound's favorite dinner!" Apollo chuckled.

"A bit on the scrawny side."

"Who asked you, Ares?" Percy grumbled while the War God smirked.

 **Nobody moved except Annabeth, who yelled, "Percy, run!"**

 **The blonde had tried to step in front of Percy, but the hound was too fast. It leaped over her-an enormous shadow with teeth-and hit the green eyed boy. It shredded through Percy, leaving him a bloody mess in a matter of seconds before it swiveled around, setting its sights on Andi. Letting out another terrifying howl, it charged towards the child of the sky lord ready to repeat what it done to the black haired boy.**

 **Andi was stock still, trying to mumble an incantation, but everything in her head had become a blank. Panicking, she shot her hands forward, dropping the flag, eyes closed. Fortunately for the girl, her powers reacted and a wall of wind surged into being before her, making the large hound roll over her, as its mass collided with the invisible wall. Andi fell to her back in a thud in shock at the sound of the monster impacting with her unexpected defense.**

"...Shock saved her?" Hades asked, grinning at his brother.

"Hades..." Zeus warned.

"Well, if she needs shock to save her, I can do that, I'd suppose. It is the duty of a 'loving' uncle to protect his niece, is it not, brother?"

"Hades, be nice to your brother." Rhea chided.

"Yes, Mother." Hades kept his smirk on his face while Zeus scowled.

 **The hellhound recovered quickly from its tumble, but before it could make another move, a series of thwacking sounds, like forty pieces of silenced gun fire whistling through the air resounded throughout the forest. Just as suddenly from the hound's neck sprouted a cluster of arrows. The monster fell over Andi and exploded into dust, coating the young girl in gold as she shook somewhat from her near death experience.**

 **It took a full minute, but Andi finally regained enough of her wits to check if she was injured. She was just beginning to experimentally prod the various parts of her body when Will ran up to her and while assuring her she was alright helped her up. As she got to her feet she noticed Chiron standing over Percy!** _ **Oh gods!**_

 **"You okay?" Will asked her in concern, as she stumbled.**

 **"Ten fingers, ten toes, so yeah." She squeaked out and shakily moved forward to check on Percy. She stood next to Chiron, who had his bow in hand, his face grim.**

 **"Di immortales!" Annabeth said, looking pale. "That was a hellhound from the Fields of Punishment. They don't ... they're not supposed to..."**

"But they did, get over it!"

"Shut up, Ares, who asked you?" Athena remarked.

"Well, someone's feeling defensive."

"Ares. Would you like to spend the next three chapters as a mortal without a mouth?" Rhea asked kindly.

"Yes, Ares, I would be glad to see to it you could," Zeus said firmly.

Ares, not too dimwitted, was able to recognize the threat and his mistake. He'd interrupted one too many times again for stupid reasons.

He silenced himself with a scowl. This was totally bogus.

 **"Someone summoned it," Chiron said, his voice rumbling. "Someone inside the camp."**

 **Luke came over, worry on his face.**

"...It must have been Travis."

Annabeth palmed her face at Percy's faked stupidity. Had he said that before they'd known each other for half a decade, she would've really believed he thought it was Travis.

 **Clarisse yelled, "It's all Percy's fault! Percy summoned it!"**

 **"Be quiet, child," Chiron told her, obviously not believing her.**

 **"You're wounded," Annabeth told Percy. "Quick, Percy, get in the water."**

"Oh my!"

"Aphrodite, shut up." Artemis sighed.

"So eager to see him wet though, and at such a young age!"

Annabeth turned bright red and crossed her arms.

The action was noticed by one other, who decided to keep quiet for now.

 **"I'm okay." Percy croaked out, clearly not alright.**

 **"No, you're not," Annabeth said sternly. "Chiron, watch this." She urged the trainer.**

 **Percy was barely able to stand, but nevertheless did as told. He stepped back into the creek, the whole camp gathering around him.**

 **Instantly, the cuts on his chest were closing up. Some of the campers gasped. Andi blinked in surprise, only ever seeing such regeneration powers being the result of the use of Phoenix tears. But Will nudged her; she looked at him as he pointed above Percy's head, "Look." The boy told the sky child.**

 **She did so and her eyes widened at the sight of the symbol over the Jackson boy.**

 **Oh geez…not good, as if her being alive wasn't enough of a bad sign.**

 **"Look, I-I don't know why," Percy said, trying to apologize. "I'm sorry..."**

"...Wait, you're sorry that you can heal?" Leo asked, disbelieving.

"I-Wha-I thought I was in trouble!"

"You're an idiot, dude."

"Finally realize that, Valdez?" Frank asked good naturedly.

"No doubt he's Heph's now." Hermes smirked. "My kids are quicker on the uptake than that."

"Oh ha-ha-ha." Leo laughed sarcastically.

 **But they weren't watching his wounds heal. Not anymore. They were staring at something above his head.**

 **"Percy," Annabeth said, pointing. "Um ..."**

 **By the time he looked up, the sign was already fading, but he could still make out the hologram of green light, spinning and gleaming. A three-tipped spear: a trident.**

 **"Your father," Annabeth murmured while looking back and forth between him and Andi. "This is really not good."**

 **"It is determined," Chiron announced.**

 **All around Percy, campers started kneeling, even the Ares cabin, though they didn't look happy about it. Andi knelt as well, just looking surprised.**

 **"My father?" Percy asked, completely bewildered.**

 **"Poseidon," said Chiron. "Earthshaker, Stormbringer, Father of Horses. Hail, Perseus Jackson, Son of the Sea God."**

 **Andi had one thought going through her head.**

 _ **Wait, he's my cousin?!**_

"Mosel tov!" Hermes cheered.

"...Uh, wrong language, Herm."

"Bah, it's a sign of celebration!"

* * *

 **AN: Yeah, I'm back. For now. So long as work and school permit...and my ADD...**

 **Uh, anyway, review!**

 **...please?**

 **(I missed you guys!)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

 **The Ever Twisting Wind: The Lightning Thief**

 **Chapter Five: I get a Montage and an Errand**

"Here, you read." Nico mumbled, plopping the book in Leo's lap before he could argue.

"Gee, Thanks." Leo drawled. "Just what I wanted..."

After the chapter title was read Hermes and Apollo grinned.

"Gonna need a montage..."

"For the love of-Leo Valdez, if you don't start reading I will put an arrow between your legs!" Artemis warned severely, a glare locked on both her twin and brother, both of whom clammed up immediately.

"Y-Yes, ma'am!"

 **Percy's POV**

 **The next morning, Chiron moved me into Cabin Three.**

 **I didn't have to share with anybody. I had plenty of room for all my stuff: the Minotaur's horn, one set of spare clothes, and a toiletry bag. I got to sit at my own dinner table, pick all my own activities, call "lights out" whenever I felt like it, and not listen to anybody else.**

 **And I was absolutely miserable.**

"Poor baby." Annabeth cooed while she pinched her boyfriend's cheek.

"Stop it!" Percy groaned.

 **Just when I started to feel accepted, to feel I had a home in Cabin Eleven and I might be a normal kid -or as normal as you can be when you're a half-blood- I'd been cut out as if I had some rare disease.**

 **Nobody mentioned the hellhound, but I got the feeling they were all talking about it behind my back. The attack had scared everybody. It sent two messages: one, that I was the son of the Sea God; and two, monsters would stop at nothing to kill me, just like with Andi. They would and could even invade a camp that had always been considered safe.**

 **For the first few days with Andi, nothing had happened, so everyone thought it was okay, but with that Hellhound, everything had changed. At least my cousin, yes, I had a cousin now, had a few people like Katie from Demeter, Will from Apollo along with some of his siblings, and Annabeth.**

 **I had only one, since the other campers steered clear of me as much as possible.**

"I heard he smells like the stables." Jason stage whispered to his girlfriend.

"Eww!"

"Oh, you two think you're a couple of comedians, huh?" Percy asked dryly.

"We don't think," they said, smiles on their faces. "We _know_."

 **Annabeth still taught me Greek in the mornings, but she seemed distracted. Every time I said something wrong, she scowled at me, like I just poked her between the eyes.**

"Such a seaweed brain," Annabeth said with a sigh.

"And it had _nothing_ to do with the crush she had clashing with the rivalry between their parents," Piper said with a nod.

Annabeth turned a bright cherry red. "W-What?!"

"You heard me." Piper smirked. "Wise Girl."

"I-You...Stop smirking, Percy, or I'll judo flip you again."

"Only if I get a kiss first."

 **Honestly, I was a little put out by the fact that the blonde was more accepting of Andi, but shrugged it off as maybe a girl bonding thing since they hung out.**

 **After lessons, she would walk away muttering to herself: "Quest...Poseidon? .. Dirty rotte .. But Zeus! …Got to make a plan ..."**

 **Cabin Eleven was too nervous to have sword class with me after what I did to the Ares kids in the woods, so my lessons became Luke teaching just me and Andi who now joined us. He pushed me harder than ever and was pretty tough on Andi too even though she was a complete newbie, and he wasn't afraid to bruise us up in the process.**

 **"You're going to need all the training you can get," he promised. "First things first, let's begin with some warm-ups before we really get down to business. Percy let's try that viper-beheading strike again. Fifty repetitions. Andi, let's work on the basics. Percy, once you're done come over and join us and we'll spar."**

 **So I got to work on my reps and peered to the side to see that Luke had placed Andi in front of a set of straw-stuffed dummies in Greek armor. He got her started with practicing some basic stabbing and slashing. She looked a lot like how I started...but maybe more wild. She was swinging her blade around like an axe instead of a sword as she performed a strawman massacre.**

"I'm terrified." Hades deadpanned.

"Note to self, don't let any of Zeus' demigods have axes..." Poseidon mumbled.

"You're both a riot." Zeus grumbled.

 **Saturday night slasher much? I took a wild guess and assumed she was thinking about her mortal relatives, or** _ **the things**_ **as she liked to call them.**

 **I couldn't really judge her on that one, I'd done something similar; imagining wapping Smelly Gabe in the head with a sword a few times during practice. It was a nice motivator.**

"..."

Percy blinked and shifted uneasily at the looks sent his way.

"What?" He finally asked.

"...You don't...still...do you?" Annabeth asked after a moment.

"...Um...I plead the fifth?"

"Huh, maybe there's hope for Prissy after all," Ares said with a smirk.

 **From the looks of things she was having the same problem with finding the right blade like me. The magical demigod liked short swords that were super quick, and was looking to dual wield with her dagger or wand. I found that to be sorta cool. Luke tried to help her as best as he could like he had with me, but just like my own case it looked like little good happened. I was just finishing my repetitions when Andi got a pretty cool idea that the two of us could try to get some help from Cabin Nine during arts and crafts. I seriously considered the idea as I joined Luke and the girl by the dummies like our trainer had instructed.**

 **"That's a good idea Andi. You and Percy should look into that." Luke commented as I neared the duo. As the child of Hermes spotted me, he turned to me and continued, "Ok, now that Percy has joined us, we can move onto light sparring. Now give me a minute to work out in what order we're going to go at it."**

 **Luke eventually decided to take Andi first, wanting to see how good she was without any training.**

"Oh my!"

"Aphrodite, please!" Hera groaned into her hand while Zeus glared at the tittering goddess.

 **They had two fast matches, and were on their third one. The first was fast since Andi used magic to disarm Luke of his sword, making him surrender. Luke went vice-principal on her for using magic, but Andi just gave a sneaky smirk and pointed out that he never said she couldn't. He conceded that and they had another round with no magic, this time he whopped her in seconds, and from what I could tell, it pissed her off if that kick up of dust she created at the end of the match was anything to go by.**

 **Why though? I mean losing to Luke was to be expected, right? The guy had the advantage of years of training. I got the feeling that Andi was the competitive sort, which, if that kick up suggested anything, I might have to run for a bunker.**

 **Did we have bunkers at camp?**

"Yes." The Seven answered.

Thalia blinked and looked at Nico. "We do?"

"I dunno. Maybe." Nico shrugged.

 **Still, was she going to be that childish about it?**

 **I got my answer in the next round.**

 **As they sparred, Luke wasn't giving it his all like before, but was still going at her hard. Despite her size, Andi was pretty fast, way faster than me. She was trying to sneak into Luke's guard for quick attacks and pulled back whenever Luke started swinging his sword back.**

 **But still, it looked like Luke was playing with her, since he was in control of the fight. He was blocking all her attacks without a sweat, and even hit her with the flat of his blade, repeatedly. After the first few hits, Andi was doing her best to avoid those. I don't blame her. Good thing I had that weird water healing power. Luke's hits hurt. A lot.**

 **The whole time, Luke just had this smug smile on his face that I was sure was adding fuel to the fire of Andi's budding temper.**

"...Luke's an idiot." Hermes noted.

"You only just now realize this?" Athena asked dryly.

"Hey, don't get me wrong, I love him to bits, but...damn, he's playing with fire."

 **She went in for a low attack, aiming for Luke's ankle, but the son of Hermes just dodged back easily.**

 **Andi let out a growl, like a baby tiger,**

"Oh, how adorable!" Rhea cooed.

Zeus clapped a hand over his eyes while his brothers smirked.

 **but the winds picking up made a sound that matched a grown one. Now, I could feel some sweat trickled down my neck. If last time was any indication, well, I really was wondering where those bunkers were.**

 **"You're doing good." Luke told the girl, even as he casually went on the offensive to keep her dancing on her toes, "But going in and out may not always work." He said, pressing his attack as she tried to avoid and block as best she could, getting some small nicks on her arms as Luke easily slipped through her sloppy guard, "Raise your arms higher." He said, going for a slash, making Andi block as fast as she could, "widen your feet some." He said next, giving a whap to her side, "Keep moving."**

 **Andi was jogging backwards but crouched and shot forward like a bullet, slashing at Luke's elbow, but was deflected. Something that really didn't help the budding tornado warning if the swirling winds that whipped my hair was broadcasting Andi's mood.**

 **I had to question why I was even still standing there. I guess I was too curious about the match, I know, stupid reason.**

"Not really, son. Watching Zeus throw a fit _is_ entertaining."

"Poseidon, shut up."

 **Thankfully, Luke ended it after the next exchange.**

 **Andi ducked under Luke's swing, which managed to slash off a few strains of her short hair, and pushed off the ground like a rocket. Her swing missed by a solid foot, but something weird happened. The wind acted up again, and no, not the building twister. I'm talking about how it rippled off her blade, almost like water. It was like a visible piece of wind, that looked like a dagger.**

 **It sliced through the air, nailing Luke on his arm, leaving a nasty gash.**

 **Luke looked shocked, so did I. But Luke recovered real quick and just like he taught me in my first lesson, he disarmed Andi like 1, 2, 3, sending her blade clattering to the ground a few feet away. The son of Hermes then checked Andi to the ground with his hip, sending her sprawling onto her butt with a thud.**

"It's all in the hip."

"Leo, really?" Piper asked dryly.

"What? I can't comment when I'm reading?"

"You really shouldn't, dear," Rhea said.

"Fine..." Leo sighed.

 **The forming twister died down, settling into a strong then a gentle breeze before the sky finally decided to calm down.**

 **And I was really happy about that. I didn't need another lightshow thank you very much.**

 **Andi went to push herself up, but Luke held out his hand, "That was good Andi, you really took me by surprise there." He complimented as Andi accepted the hand and he pulled her up like she was feather light.**

 **"Um, thanks." She said, looking confused about what to say.**

 **"It really was Andi," I pitched in, giving my own two cents as I finally found my voice. "I don't think I did that well on my first try."**

 **"Really?" Andi said skeptically, her eyebrow arched up, "Then what's this I hear about you disarming him with some beginner's luck?"**

"My left cheek," Poseidon said under his breath, sending Hermes a sour look.

Hermes laughed nervously. So Luke had his pride...didn't they all, though? Why's everyone gotta get on him for what his son did?

 **"That was a onetime thing!" I embarrassingly explained myself. "Luke, help me here." I asked the older camper.**

 **Smiling at my expense Luke chimed in, "You're selling yourself short, Percy."**

 **"See, even Luke agrees with me." Andi said with a smug smirk.**

 **"That said, Andi," Luke looked at her with a frown, "Mind explaining why you decided to go tornado warning on us? I really don't need to see another Mount Zeusette eruption."**

 **"Is everyone calling it that?" Andi said with a groan.**

"Yes." The room drawled.

"I'd start using it on Thalia, but I feel it isn't spectacular enough."

"Screw you, Kelp Head."

 **"Yes." I answered at the same time Luke did.**

 **"So what's up?"**

 **I could see Andi flush, like a kid with her hand caught in the cookie jar, "I just don't like to lose."**

 **Luke heaved a tired sigh, like he had seen this too many times, "Trust me, you should see Nike's kids, they're the best example why you should ease off that. Out in the real world, kicking up a fuss over something like a loss? It's not going to fly well, you hear me?"**

 **Andi found her hi-tops interesting as she mustered out a, "Yeah, got it." Though she still had a pouty frown on her face**

 **Luke gave a satisfied nod, "Good." He then set his eyes on me, making my palms feel a bit sweaty, "Now Percy, it's time for us to spar."**

"Oh...Joy," Percy groaned. He got to see newbie him in action. Again.

 **I gulped at that. Sparring with Luke was fun and educational and all, but it still hurt a lot. The guy didn't hold back. Despite that, I nodded and got ready to be beaten into a whole body bruise.**

 **At least the water cooler was nearby.**

"Hax powers. Hax." Nico drawled.

"Big time." Jason grumbled. He still had a slight throb in his head from that damn brick.

 **0 Andi's POV 0**

 **Andi wiped her brow, "Are you sure we can't eat any?" she asked Castor, one of the Dionysus twins, as she picked strawberries with them.**

"No." Dionysus scoffed.

Percy frowned. "How come my point of view is first person and Andi's is third?"

"Because we don't care what Andi's thinking." Annabeth countered swiftly.

"...Yeah, but-!"

"And this way we can rag on you for your personal thoughts," Thalia said with a smirk.

"So not fair." Percy pouted.

 **It was a nice change of pace from all the hard training that was being thrown her way. As a gentle breeze swept past her short locks, Pollux answered her.**

 **"Well, we could sneak one or two." He smiled softly and waved his hand. Another vine sprouted from the ground, "But we try not to overindulge ourselves."**

 **"Says you!" Castor shot back with a laugh, earning a mock glare from his younger brother.**

 **Andi laughed a bit, the twins were funny kids. Just like how she and Percy were outcasts right now, the twins got that same 'warm' reception from the other campers when they were claimed since their dad worked at the camp and was almost universally disliked. Which was understandable since he was sorta a jerk to the campers. It wasn't everyone that treated them like that, they said, just a few of the more "opinionated" people. They were just idiots and bullies in her view.**

 **"Still, being awesome like that should be rewarded." Andi told them with a sagely nod, "I mean, sure, there are only two of you, but the camp just seems to overlook your cabin. It doesn't seem fair ya know?"**

"...I like this Annie girl."

"Andi, Dionysus," Demeter corrected.

"Yes, yes. I like him, too." Dionysus waved her off.

 **The twins shared a look and then turned to Andi, Pollux shrugging, "We just don't care really."**

 **Andi frowned, "But you guys have party powers and stuff, that's awesome."**

 **"What's so good about attention?" Castor asked in a curious manner.**

 **"Well duh! You stand out," Andi beamed, "People look up to you, and finally see just what you're made of! People who doubted you shut up and the look they have when you look their way after proving them wrong is just satisfying."**

"This scene is different," Annabeth said, her eyes narrowed. "Like it's...a glimpse into her psyche..."

"So soon." Athena agreed, her brow furrowed.

"We've lost them." Percy smiled at his girlfriend's thoughtful face.

"Yep. Enjoy the peace while it lasts, Percy." Poseidon agreed with a smirk aimed at his oblivious rival.

 **"Like your lightshow?" Pollux asked, plucking three more strawberries and dumping them in his bucket.**

 **Andi gave a sheepish look, "That was more a fit than a 'Hey! Look at me!' thing.'" she explained as she held up her hands, "Won't happen again."**

 **"...Causing a freak windstorm and summoning lightning is a fit?" Castor asked with disbelief written all over his face.**

"Happens all the time, Castor." Dionysus nodded.

Zeus glared at his son. "Would you _like_ those fifty years back? With interest?"

"Oh, don't be mad at him for telling it like it is." Hera huffed.

Zeus gave her a look. "You still need to face punishment, too."

"Not in front of the children, Zeus." Hades drawled.

"HADES!" Rhea glared at her eldest while her youngest son and daughter flushed.

 **Andi offered an awkward chuckle, "Yeah, not my best moment. But whatever, it's in the past! Over and done with." she brushed it off like it was nothing, getting frowns from the twins.**

 **As children of Dionysus, the twins were somewhat empathic. It's what helped their dad with party moods and with his madness powers.**

 **And while they didn't like to speak ill of people, they could tell Andi...wasn't altogether right in the head so to say.**

 **"I think you should be careful about that, Andi." Pollux warned, "Sure, getting some attention may be nice, but it can get you in trouble too."**

 **"I mean not all attention is good, right?" Castor asked Andi.**

 **"Sure it is. So long as it's about stuff you really did." Andi said without a hint of embarrassment. The twins exchanged a look at this.**

 **"Ok…" Castor began hesitatingly. "But surely doing some things like, say, your fit, isn't a good idea, right?"**

 **Andi hummed in thought at this for a moment, before replying, "Well… I guess. But like I said, the attention was all good. I mean, after that, no one tried to kick up dirt with me. Not even that Clarisse girl."**

"...Yeah, messin' with Zeus' brats isn't smart..." Ares smirked.

"You realize you called yourself and us 'brats', right?" Athena asked.

"Welcome back to the world, Owl Head."

 **"Andi that fit put you in the infirmary for a week!" Pollux replied, shocked by Andi's lack of concern about what happened.**

 **"So? I did say I wouldn't do it again, didn't I?" The child of Zeus shot back defensively.**

 **"Right. Right. And we believe you." Castor said soothingly as Pollux nodded in agreement. "It's just that we're worried you might do something similar in the future. Will you?"**

 **"I won't make any promises." Andi hedged, causing the twins to exchange another worried look with each other.**

 **"Just say you won't do stuff like that just for attention ok?" Pollux pleaded. "It's not worth it."**

 **The daughter of Zeus just shrugged, "I'll keep that in mind, I guess." she said and looked around, "Hey, what time is it?"**

 **"Almost ten thirty." Caster said, checking his watch.**

 **The girl's face lit up, "Hey, uh, I'll carry this back to the Big House, I gotta go to my magic lesson." she said, gushing with excitement.**

"I sense a small crush on her magic teacher," Aphrodite said thoughtfully.

Apollo frowned. "Aw, but Will's willing to share!"

"Seriously, stop with the puns. They're horrible." Artemis drawled.

"I promise nothing. Do I look like Helios to you?"

"Thankfully, no."

"Shame, too." Aphrodite sighed sadly. "He was so good looking."

 **Andi learned magic from Alabaster and the other Hecate kids. She was the only magical demigod receiving lessons from them though. There were a handful of others in camp, so she'd heard, but they received their magical training elsewhere, usually a magical school of some sort or as an apprentice of an older magic user, and only joined the class once in a while when a topic they were interested in came up. So far Andi hadn't had the chance to meet any of them.**

 **Alabaster was a tall kid, with short brown hair and calculating emerald green eyes. Their lessons talked about theory, basic magicks, and basic control of the mist, the veil that separates mortals from seeing their world that Hecate controls. As someone connected to magic, Andi had the ability to manipulate it with proper training.**

 **Alabaster also told the newly learned demigoddess that Hecate could be a tough parent, and as her children, and as her children, he and his siblings must prove their worth and study hard to master their skills in magic, as magic has a way of twisting around the user. So if a child of Hecate isn't careful, their spells can do more harm than good. The same applied to other magic users, like Andi, too.**

"Use power well, or we'll punish you," Hermes said, simplifying it.

"Dark." Frank mumbled.

"Truth, though," Apollo shrugged.

 **She had asked him about light and dark magic, making the older boy and the others laugh. Andi was rather upset by this but calmed down after he explained, after he'd** _ **finally**_ **stopped laughing, that he wasn't laughing at her but rather at how silly the wand weavers are and how corrupting their teachings were. He told her magic was neither good nor evil. Magic was a tool, like a knife. Was a knife evil? Only if the wielder is evil.**

"The foolish minds of mortals," Rhea said with a scoff. "The only true evil was my late husband...and mother's...decisions later in life."

"Understatement," the elder Olympians mumbled.

 **Andi was highly skeptical on that. She'd run across some pretty wickedly dark magic in her two years as a witch. Alabaster had however said that it wasn't the magic that was evil, but rather the way it was worked. Basically, according to him, while magic itself had no light or dark, there were certainly light or dark spells as magic users twisted neutral magic to do both good and bad things. This Andi could believe, though her new magical instructor didn't seem satisfied with that though and pushed on, determined to get the child of Zeus to overcome the silly misconceptions about magic, his words, that the wand wavers had taught her.**

"Those bastards, waving their wands in her face!"

"Ares!" Hera hissed.

"What? ...Oh! Wow, Ma, gutter minded much?"

"Silence, fool!" Hera snapped. She glared at Zeus, who rubbed his face with one hand.

At this rate, he was going to have to banish Ares just to keep his wife – not to mention his mother – appeased with how he raises his sons.

 **He had further explained that though there were dark and light spells, things still wasn't clear cut as there were plenty of ways that light spells could be used for evil and dark ones for good. Andi didn't really believe that. But Alabaster was undaunted and begun listing examples of such, a seemingly unending list of such (Hell, he even came up with ways to use the Unforgivables for a good cause!), and in the end Andi had to grudgingly admit he was probably right.**

 **With that out of the way, Alabaster finally got to, in Andi's opinion, the good part, actually learning magic. Though she was somewhat disappointed by what they actually covered. Alabaster started off with working on her learning how to cast the spells she already knew from Hogwarts without a wand. It was slow going, but by the end of the lesson she had starting getting the hang of it, even successfully casting a few first-year spells (they were going through the spells she'd learned on a year by year basis) wandlessly, which according to Alabaster was pretty impressive. So as a reward he'd loaned her a couple of books on elemental magic so she could try some basic elemental spells and if she was lucky work out her magical affinity, something that if she managed would greatly speed up her training.**

"Because that was always important," Artemis said with a roll of her eyes. "Honestly, training should take the time that is needed, it shouldn't be rushed."

"She's only got four years, Arte," Apollo said.

"...And?"

"She's mortal. Not one of your Hunters."

"...Ah." Artemis had the decency to look abashed. "Carry on, Leo Valdez."

 **Andi was very excited at the prospect of learning elemental magic. It was something she'd always wanted to try and had been badly disappointed when she discovered that wizarding magic didn't really have much elemental magic. Now though? She could finally learn how to fight like a proper magical girl!**

"I sense a reoccurring theme here," Hermes said thoughtfully. He shrugged it off.

 **0 Percy's POV 0**

 **So I was sent to get Andi from her sprinting practice with the nymphs. Now, these forest ladies were super quick. You had to be if you wanted to run away from love struck gods. They left me in the dust my first time, and the next, and the next, well, you get it. It was kind of embarrassing being slower than a tree. So when I got there, I wasn't surprised to see Andi getting left in the afterburn too. But unlike me, she was actually really fast, like she had been in our sword training session. She was like a middle school track star with how fast she was running.**

 **I could hear some nymphs comment she was a natural with her form and all that technical sports stuff. When I asked her how she got so good, Andi just grinned that loony grin of hers and said she was used to outrunning bullies back in England.**

Zeus' eye twitched and Hera rolled her eyes at the sight of it.

 **Still, Andi was looking at the nymphs like she wanted to race them again, her competitive spirit rearing its ugly head.**

 **I had to drag her off before she went double or nothing with the wood nymphs.**

"I'd do it." Thalia and Jason agreed.

"You two don't know when to accept defeat, do you?" Nico asked.

"Not the Roman way," Jason said while Thalia smirked.

"I don't lose." She bragged.

"Except when you got turned into a tree, knocked in a stream, pinned by a statue..." Percy trailed off with a grin. "Need I say more?"

"You might have pushed your luck," Jason said dryly while his sister's eyes sparked.

"I regret nothing!"

"Children, behave." Rhea warned her grandchildren.

Thalia sent a heated glare over at her cousin as she sat back down.

Percy silently thanked his father for his luck, and Poseidon sent a quick look over at Hermes, who grinned in return.

 **Wrestling was as usual a pain. Literally. After cleaning her behind the ears in toilet water and breaking her spear, Clarisse was doing her best to pound me into the mat as we practiced -beat the tar out of me- on the mat. It was even worse as every time with practiced she would whisper that there was more where that came from, and maybe added something about skinning me here or there. I wanted to brush it off since she and the rest of Ares cabin were avoiding me as if I had a major flu like the rest of the camp.**

 **But what she said wasn't really fun to hear, and Clarisse wouldn't stop saying it after leaving me with bruises on my bruises.**

 **Andi got lucky in my opinion by having to train with Annabeth.**

"I'm a fool. Even today she doesn't go easy on me." Percy pouted.

Annabeth patted his cheek. "How will you learn if I don't teach you?"

"If you turn out to be a sadist, we might break up."

"That says more about you than it does about her, Percy," Piper said with a snicker.

Percy just turned red in embarrassment.

 **Of course Annabeth was schooling Andi, who looked irked as she continued to lose. I was praying to any and all deities up there that might be willing to listen that there wasn't going to be any Hurricane Andi this time around.**

 **We finally switched dance partners and I watched Andi get snarled at by Clarisse. Andi looked sort of freaked out by it, and I don't blame her. With no weapons or powers, it was open season for the daughter of Ares.**

"Hehehehe, the cabin could always use a new throw rug." Ares grinned.

"...That is...so disturbing..." Percy mumbled.

"It wouldn't be the first time. Back in the sixties one of Apollo's _really_ pissed off Ares and...well, they kept him in the cabin for a few weeks before he started to smell." Dionysus explained nonchalantly.

"...Oh...lovely..." Percy paled rapidly.

 **Clarisse's stomps thundered towards Andi as she yelped in surprise, throwing her hand up, a spray of something kind of like faint mist erupting from her palm as she shouted some word I've never heard before. When Clarisse ran into the stuff she locked up like a statue, standing straight with her hands to her sides and fell over with a thud.**

 **"Sweet hell." Andi breathed out in relief.**

 **I was so caught up in Andi's fight, I didn't even notice Annabeth hip toss me into the mat. She looked over me with her steel greys and said, "Pay attention, Jackson." Her tone cool as ice.**

 **"Uh, yeah." I mustered out.**

"Aw, trying to hide those feelings, are you?"

"McLean, I swear to the Gods..."

"Ladies, play nice. I'm trying to read," Leo said. He turned the page and grinned. "Wait until someone else starts reading so I can get a camera set up."

Whack.

"I deserved that." Leo mumbled while Piper and Nico shook out their hands.

"Yes. Yes you did." The rest of the demigods agreed.

 **0 Andi's POV 0**

 **I had lessons with Grover too, though I still sorta called him Clover. He could do a really good deadpan look whenever I did that though. I just couldn't stop myself, it was fun to mess with people, or satyrs in this case. Besides that the stuff he actually taught was pretty cool too, he covered all kinds of thing we needed to know about monsters and heroes and what-have-you. The weird thing was he seemed to keep shying away from me, which honestly confounded the bleedin' hell outta me.**

 **I had fun with javelin practice, even if the javelins were almost as tall as me. Tracking skills were cool, it was like I was a hunter or something. Volleyball was fun, I was a pretty good server, but I couldn't spike. There was a rule about no powers, but I think using them would have made it more fun. I tried wall climbing, but the lava portion left me a bit worried about doing it again. I'll stick to flying thank you very much. But my absolute favourite class had to be archery. I don't know why, but I just felt...excitement with a bow in my hands. Aiming, nailing a bulls eyes, improving with each shot, it was just awesomesauce.**

"...She's our sister, that's for sure." Apollo smirked at his twin, and she returned it with one of her own.

"It would seem so."

Hermes, Hephaestus, Athena and Aphrodite shuddered; Ares grinned madly; and Dionysus took an uncaring sip of his diet coke.

Those were the smirks that the twins wore before they punished Niobe.

They were the smirks that showed the Olympians how confident they were in their skills.

They were the smirks that showed the twins truly agreed on something.

And that was always frightening.

 **After my afternoon activities my packed schedule left me a bit of free time.**

 **I usually just hung out with Thalia, sitting under the shade of her leaves. I spent my time practicing my powers or my wandless magic, and talking to Thalia. I had to really concentrate with my wind powers, but I sorta got a fix on doing some stuff, like flying. I loved flying on my broom, it brought me closer to the sky. Now? It felt even more empowering to just zip through the sky on my own, free as the wind itself.**

 **I still had trouble with other parts of my powers obviously, my last outbursts were sorta embarrassing proof of that. So, I really wanted to try and improve my control. I had to really wonder though, what could I do with this gift? Sure, I could probably do a lot of interesting things, but the main question is; how far can I go?**

 **It sounded like a challenge, and I really like a good challenge.**

"...So, wait, now we're back to first person? The heck?" Percy scratched his head in confusion.

"Percy, stop questioning it and just listen." Annabeth chided her boyfriend.

"But-!"

"Seaweed Brain."

"...Fine..."

 **One sunny afternoon midweek, I was chilling down at the archery range, having my lesson with Apollo Cabin. Most of the cabin looked a bit jumpy around me, just like the rest of the camp they were most likely uneasy because I nearly became a chewtoy.**

 **Thankfully Lee and Will weren't acting any different after my rabid dog incident.**

"That's because Will is in love~" Apollo changed into a young boy and made over the top kissing faces.

Artemis smacked the back of his head and he reverted to his preferred form, snickering like a fool.

 **As per our last session, I was practising my shooting with Will as my instructor. I was pretty good now, in my opinion. I was able to put all my arrows into the target and a whole two thirds in or just outside the bullseye. Will though was still correcting my stance ever so often. Well, I wasn't perfect yet! But I'm getting there, you can count on that.**

"Getting so close. Clever boy, Apollo," Aphrodite said with a smile.

"My kids' are just like their dad." Apollo grinned. "Smooth."

"And fatheaded."

"No one asked for your opinion, Arte."

 **Will was just finishing up guiding me into a more relaxed stance that he said would make shooting over time a lot easier when I noticed this weird look on his face. He was looking plenty conflicted about something. I poked him in the arm and asked, "What's bitin' you?"**

 **Will nervously asked, "Are you sure you're okay?"**

 **I just gave him my standard bright smile, "Will, I'm fine."**

 **"You nearly got turned into a Milkbone and you're okay with this?"**

"Ah, psychological flirting." Apollo gave two thumbs up.

Nico let out a grunt of discontent and folded his arms over his chest.

 **He sounded incredulous, not that I blame him. People who weren't me usually weren't so casual about being nearly killed.**

 **I shrugged lazily though, "Not really the first time this happened." I brushed off the concern so casually, Will raised a golden brow at it.**

 **"And with campers giving you the cold shoulder?" He pressed. Wow, he's being pushy. But he means well, so I'll throw him a bone.**

 **"Yeah, that's annoying. But it's not like something like that is new either." I said with a blinding smile.**

"Ah, the smile of the happy fool. Pounce, Will, pounce!" Apollo ordered with a grin.

"I don't know what's worse, your eagerness for this relationship or Father's discontent." Artemis pointed at the small scowl that was on Zeus' face.

 **Will looked at her oddly then. "How do you do that?"**

 **"Do what?" What was he talking about?**

 **"Smile like that when we're talking about stuff like this."**

 **"Why wouldn't I smile? I mean, it's not like what we're talking about is a big deal. I'm used to this kinda stuff." I answered with a shrug. "Besides I'm here with friends, doing something fun. What's there not to be happy about?"**

 **"I guess." Will replied uncertainly and adopted a thoughtful look. Was it something I said? I went over what I just said, but couldn't for the life of me figure out why anything would get him thinking.**

"He's good," Dionysus said thoughtfully.

Apollo buffed his nails. "Gets it from daddy."

"Please, you're not a psychologist. Did you claim one of mine again?"

"When would you and Will's mom have done it?"

"Point to you."

"And I have details." Apollo made a little black book appear in his hand and grinned. "Explicit, dirty, and downright shocking details."

"...I want to burn that book." Artemis, Hera, Hestia, Athena and Rhea said simultaneously.

"I know. Which is why I already made copies." Apollo grinned, holding said copies up in his hands like fanned out playing cards. "Ten favors. Each."

"...Hard bargain..." Athena mumbled. Hera and Hestia nodded while Rhea frowned.

"It's _really_ juicy." The sun god enticed, waving the books enticingly.

"I'll set up three of your children with three of mine," Aphrodite said.

"...No heartbreaks or affairs?"

"Take all the fun out of it...fine."

"Deal!" Apollo tossed a book over to her and she caught it. He grinned and interlaced his hands behind his head, the books vanishing back to a place only he knew of. "And you say I'm a bad father."

"You _are_ a bad father." Artemis drawled.

"Ouch, sis. Ouch."

"The truth hurts, Apollo."

"Twins..." Hestia warned while Apollo looked scandalized at being smacked with his favorite phrase.

 **"Let's just get back to practice, okay?" Will said after a while, the look still on his face. "I'll bet you a toilet duty that I can beat you by 10 shots."**

 **"In your dreams, Solarflare!" I said happily. I couldn't resist a good competition.**

"Eh, on cute nicknames, I give it a six out of ten." Aphrodite criticized.

"Eight." Piper grinned. " _Dragon Ball_ reference for the win."

 **0 Percy 3rd person POV 0**

"My head's going to spin if I have to keep jumping point of views," Leo groaned. He blinked his eyes a few times and then got back to it.

 **A full week after being claimed by his father during Capture the Flag, Percy woke up in his cabin all alone. The crushing weight of his loneliness here in camp, the 'family' he was supposed to have, pressed down on him once again. He was getting real tired of being ignored by all the campers.**

 **Well, not all the campers. A few people, mainly Luke and Andi (Grover and Chiron too, but they weren't exactly campers), were still speaking to him, even if most campers were now only 'communicating' to him in grunts or short worded answers. Andi had been weird. Since figuring out they were cousins, the crazy girl had spent almost all her free time hanging out with him, plus all the time he already spent with her during training, trying to get to know him. Sure, it was nice having someone to actually talk to (the others were kinda busy most of the time), but how much she tried to hang out with him, it was a bit over the top.**

 **Andi explained herself by saying she always wanted a cousin. He remembered that she said she already had one, but she scowled at that, her anger kicking up a strong breeze.**

 **"That** _ **thing**_ **isn't my cousin Percy." She snarled, "It could drop dead and I wouldn't bat an eyelash. You're my first** _ **real**_ **cousin." She shrugged, "I just want to get to know the family I never really had before."**

"Oh, that's a shame." Rhea frowned.

"It fits with her character, er, I mean background," Apollo said, correcting himself while under Zeus' glare.

 **She made it sound like her life with her relatives was so terrible. Sure, he had Smelly Gabe, but if half of what he heard about his pixie-like cousin's relatives were true. And he was pretty sure it was. Well, with that, he didn't really know what to think about his crummy home life anymore. His mom being the only thing that made it good…or did. He sighed and shook his head,** _ **Try not to think about it now.**_ **He told himself.**

 **There was a knock on his cabin door and he walked up to open it, seeing Andi burning what looked like a newspaper, a scowl on her face as her hand clutched her still smoking wand.**

 **He smiled weakly, trying to lighten the mood that his cousin, man it was weird getting used to that, was in, "So, early morning arson?"**

"Whoo!" Ares cheered and held up a large, lit torch. Poseidon doused it with a flick of his finger and the god of war pouted. "Aww."

Hephaestus and Hestia frowned. What a horrible use of their domain.

Leo grimaced, but pushed on.

 **Andi smirked at him as the burning flakes of the paper fell on the ground as ash. She blew it away with her wind powers, "No, just some ass planning on leaving something unpleasant on your doorstep. He's in the infirmary right now for his genius." She grinned impishly.**

 **Percy had honestly never felt so grateful to have someone at his back in this huge mess, "Thanks." He meant it.**

 **"No prob Percy. It's just kind of us against the world now." said Andi with a weak smile of her own.**

"And gods. Monsters. Titans..." Percy trailed off at his girlfriend's pointed look. "Shutting up."

 **0 Andi 3rd person POV 0**

"Dios mio," Leo groaned. This was starting to hurt his head.

 **"So, wanna go train our powers again?" she asked with a playful smirk, getting him to scowl a bit at her. By practice, she meant her using him as a target while he tried to use water to protect himself from a sudden gale or two.**

 **Their little training powwows had started a couple of days ago when she literally dragged him out of his cabin to train, since he was being broody and needed a wakeup call.**

 **She had then pointed out to the clueless boy that they needed to train. They had powers that others did not, thus they needed to train in them so as to improve their chances of survival and not hurt others they didn't wish to harm. A dawning look came to Percy's face at that as he muttered about Mt. Zeusettes and Tsunamis.**

 **Andi had pouted at the reminder. Seriously couldn't they have called her mess up something less embarrassing?**

"Nope." Ares snickered. "The Eruption. Sounds classy."

"Very." Rhea drawled.

"Ares, please..." Hestia sighed.

"What? Like a volcano!" Ares laughed. He grinned at the back of Percy's head. "Right? Asked the moron that released Typhoon."

"ARES!" Poseidon snapped while his son flinched at the reminder.

"Bah, none of you have a funny bone."

 **Back in the present, her cousin gave a causal "Sure," before shrugging as they started walking, getting eyes to look at them as all suddenly went quiet. Percy looked pissed off by it, but Andi brushed it off like it was nothing, just walking around camp without a care.**

 **They made it to the lake, Percy getting into the water as Andi took the land and/or air. It was just their basic setup. When they'd first started practicing together, Andi had advised himAndi advised him to talk to the naiads in the lake, since he was a child of the sea god, they would maybe listen if he asked nicely and help him with his water powers. Andi was spot on as the naiads did help out. They even joking called him Milord, which caused Andi to snicker, calling him that for the rest of the day, complete with a mock bow, much to his chagrin. He had countered by calling her princess, which made the daughter of Zeus, shove him once or twice. But from the look on his face, her ire was worth it.**

 **So after practicing making waves and colliding them with blasts of wind , they continued to mess around with new ideas on how to do things with their powers, just to pass time while practicing.**

 **Some sword training with Luke later on and it was just another routine day. Night rolled in, and it was lights out by 11.**

"So that's interesting." Percy mumbled. He'd have to remember practicing with the water.

Or with his earthshaking powers.

Or the minor storm powers.

Percy pursed his lips. Maybe everyone was onto something with him being overpowered.

 **In Cabin One, Andi was preparing for bed. As she changed into her jammies, the young daughter of Zeus pondered on her friendship with her new found cousin. She was thrilled that she** _ **finally**_ **had family that deserved to be called that and that was a** _ **huge**_ **deal, but it was more than that. She loved hanging out with Percy so much because she could connect with the guy in a way she couldn't with anyone else here in camp. Which wasn't much of a surprise since both of them were kinda outcasts now after the hellhound incident back during CTF.**

 **The incident had reminded everyone that both of them weren't even supposed to be alive. Sure, Andi had been on the chopping block for ages, what with the whole Voldemort thing, but it felt like now she was just waiting for the axe to swing for their necks. She'd told Percy as much.**

"I was sure that Ares was more than willing to swing that axe," Percy said dryly.

"Still am, brat." Ares chuckled.

 **They had their own little talks about it during free time. She'd told him a few of her escape ideas. She knew they wouldn't work, but she had to try!**

"Oh, please do." Dionysus smirked.

 **Percy had pointed out that they only had a week or two worth of training and monsters would swarm them like wild cats to a wounded deer if they left. She knew that! But there was no way she was going to let some immortal who couldn't keep it in their pants say she was supposed to live or die,**

"This is why I said free will was a bad idea..."

"Hades, we've talked about this," Zeus said firmly. "What's done is done. Get over it."

 **she'd rather fight to her last breath then be put down like some dog. Percy had agreed with her on not wanting to let some immortal asshole decide his fate but still called her crazy. Maybe she was, but that was better than being someone's puppet.**

 **"My mum gave her life for me so I could live Percy, didn't yours? Are you going to let them kill you and waste what your mum did? I know I will** _ **never**_ **make my mum's sacrifice be in vain. Not** _ **ever**_ **." She'd told her cousin to stress her point.**

 **Percy had this look of stunned awe on his face after her statement. She didn't really know why though, it was simple logic to her. Make the best with what you got.**

 **After that they talked a lot about their moms. Percy would talk about blue food and blue cookies and Andi would tell him about lullabies that she could barely remember.**

"Really? I doubt she could remember them at all." Dionysus scoffed. "The mortal mind can hardly recall anything clearly until age five, and even then, those memories are often the first to go."

"Demigod, Dionysus, she's half immortal." Apollo reminded him.

"...Shut up, Apollo." Dionysus grumbled and popped open a new Diet Coke.

 **They would talk about what they'd lost because of the oath that screwed them over, it felt nice to let it out if she was honest.**

 **With these comforting thoughts of friendship and shared heartbreak running through her noggin, the child of the sky snuggled into her sleeping bag as her eyes closed and proceeded to have her worst dream ever since coming to camp.**

 **She was on a beach, running along the grainy footing and turned to see Percy. Her eyes widened as they both turned to see a city. She didn't know what city it was, it wasn't New York City if her memory of its skyline from the telly was anything to go by at least. This city had its fair share of skyscrapers sure, but nowhere near as many as New York, much less as densely packed. It even had a whole bunch of palm trees and low hills in the distance.**

"Well, gee, I wonder where that could be?" Poseidon drawled.

"California Love!" Apollo sang happily.

 **About a hundred yards down the water, two men were fighting. They looked like some of those wrestlers that** _ **the things**_ **would sometimes watch on the telly.**

"And Poseidon with the chokehold! He's goin' for the Earth Quake! Oh, but Zeus gets in a cheap shot while the Ref was distracted by Hera!" Hermes narrated an imaginary fight.

"Whoo! C'mon, Poseidon! Whoo!" Apollo cheered, wearing a blue shirt that had a white trident embalmed on it and a foam glove on his hand that had three fingers extended. He also had a beer cap on.

"Hermes...Apollo..." Zeus' eye twitched.

"Give him the Thunder Bomb! Give him the Thunder Bomb!" Ares hollered from where he sat, now wearing a black shirt with gold lightning across his chest that read 'Thunder God'.

"Ares, you're a suck up." Poseidon grumbled.

Frank, Percy, and Thalia bit down on their knuckles to keep from laughing too hard.

 **Both men were bearded, had long hair and were incredibly muscular. But what really set them apart was the fact that both were unbelievably tall, inhumanly so. Both wore flowing Greek tunics, one trimmed in blue, the other in green. They grappled with each other, wrestled, kicked and head-butted, and every time they connected, lightning flashed, the sky grew darker, and the wind rose.**

 **She looked up at the air conditions with a grim face, she turned to Percy, to say something, anything, but the boy had rushed ahead of her, trying to stop the two men.**

"And what's this? There's a child entering the ring...It's him! It's Piercing Jackson! Piercing Jackson is trying to get between both Poseidon and Zeus! Get out of there, Piercing!"

"This is actually quite amusing." Athena thought with a small smile as she imagined the fight Hermes was describing.

Though, in her mind, Piercing was a three foot tall little person instead of a teen.

 **Andi just stood there, she knew this was a dream, but it symbolized something as well. Just as the eagle and horse fought in her earlier dream, these two men in this one were fighting as well. This was Zeus, her sire and Poseidon, Percy's sire.**

"Duking it out for the title of 'Most Stubborn!'"

"Hermes, that's enough!" Hera snapped, sick and tired of the narration. It was starting to remind her of that oaf of a doorman she had for a son-in-law.

 **The wind picked up, and in the face of the strong wind Percy wasn't making any headway. It looked like he was running in place on the deep sand. Andi on the other hand just continued to watch, seeing that it would be pointless, even with the end of the world setting of this dream, to try to stop the duo of bullheaded immortals.**

 **Over the roar of the storm, she could hear the blue-robed being, her** _ **father**_ **, shouting,** _ **Give it back! Give it back!**_ **Like her whiney fat pig of a relative wanting his latest misplaced toy…seems Zeus was a bit of a child.**

 **She hoped it wasn't hereditary.**

 **The waves got bigger, crashing into the beach, spraying her and Percy with salt water.**

 **The son of the sea yelled,** _ **Stop it! Stop fighting!**_

"Boo!" Ares jeered, his hands cupped around his mouth. "Boo on Prissy! Boo!"

"Get him out of there! That's interference!" Apollo shouted.

 **The ground shook. Laughter came from somewhere under the earth, and a voice so deep and evil it turned her blood to ice even as her heart lurched to her throat spoke.**

 _ **Come down, little heroes,**_ **the voice crooned.** _ **Come down!**_

"...Oh, _wonderful_." Rhea groaned and pressed a hand to her head.

 **The sand split beneath Percy and her, opening up a crevice straight down to the center of the earth. Their feet slipped, and darkness swallowed them.**

"And they all died. The end."

"Ares, you're a terrible story teller."

"Screw you, Apollo."

"Nah, I might enjoy it both ways, but you're _not_ in either category to me."

"Wait, what?" Ares frowned.

"Just mull on it, you'll understand. In a few decades, anyway." Apollo smirked while Ares furrowed his brows together.

 **Andi woke up with a start, jumping to her feet, and wand in hand. She looked around, breathing erratically as beads of sweat dripped from her brow.**

 _ **The hell was that, that voice?**_ **She wondered in her mind. Her gazed turned to the window, seeing the dark clouds outside making it seem like night even though her body told her: No, it was day, ya twit.**

"Wow, even her internal clock has attitude." Jason snickered.

 **Thunder rolled across the hills as the storm she felt in her bones rolled in.**

 **She heard a knock on the bronze door of her oversized cabin. She walked up to the door, wand still in hand as she opened it to see Grover and Percy, "What?" she asked snappily, feeling a bit grumpy right now.**

 **"Mr. D wants to se-" Grover started but made this strangling nose when he finally noticed how she was dressed, even as Percy turned red in the face as he pivoted on the balls of his feet to look away.**

 **"Andi, put something on!" Grover cried out while she just gave him a dull blink, and looked down.**

 **She was just wearing a sports bra and her knickers;**

"Oh my! So daring!" Aphrodite tittered.

"She just answered the door to two boys in her underwear, Mom. I highly doubt it was on purpose." Piper drawled.

 **she looked back up to see a turned around Grover, "What? It's just like if I was wearing a bathing suit, stop being a bunch of babies."**

"And there's that."

"Ooh, even better!"

Piper palmed herself in the face.

 **She yawned out, rubbing her eyes with her free hand.**

 **Let it not be said that Andi Azalea Potter was the most modest girl around.**

"Understatement, much?" Thalia asked, a brow raised in amusement.

 **"Andi!"**

 **"Fine." The girl groaned as she closed the cracked open door and put some clothes on. A minute later she was back at the door, opening it wide, "Happy?" she said in a drawl. She was feeling really grumpy right now and whatever was going on wasn't helping her mood any.**

"Yes, getting dressed is such a hassle!" Aphrodite groaned.

"Mom..." Piper groaned.

 **"Yes, Mr. D wants to see you both."**

"Wow, D, they're what? Twelve?"

"Shut up, Ares!" Dionysus snarled.

 **"Why?" Andi asked with eyes narrowed in suspicion. Nervously she fiddled with the ring form of her dagger.**

 **"Let's just go…" Grover said, pushing the two demigods along a bit.**

 **Percy shot a nervous look in Andi's direction, who nodded encouragingly back.**

 **For days, they'd been half expecting a summons to the Big House. Just for being alive when they weren't supposed to be. The other gods had probably been debating the best way to punish them for existing, and now Mr. D was ready to deliver their sentence.**

 **Over the Long Island Sound, the sky looked like ink soup coming to a boil. A hazy curtain of rain was coming in their direction. Percy asked Grover if they needed an umbrella.**

 **"No," he said. "It never rains here unless we want it to."**

 **Percy pointed at the storm. "What the heck is that, then?"**

 **He glanced uneasily at the sky. "It'll pass around us. Bad weather always does."**

"Until Zeus _really_ wants to fry somebody."

Zeus didn't rise to Hades' jab, but didn't deny it either.

The demigods all became a bit wary.

 **"Seems someone's in a mood." Andi mused, getting a nervous look from Grover as a thunder clap fired off. Like the sky was offended by that comment.**

 **Andi just gave the sky a raised eyebrow, as if asking it if she was wrong.**

 **There was no boom. Just a low rumble that sounded suspiciously like a huff.**

"Oh, she's got you _pegged_."

"Like yours or Hades' didn't?" Zeus asked snidely.

"Yes, they knew you just as well." Poseidon nodded.

Zeus grit his teeth and grumbled under his breath.

 **But the girl did think back and in doing so, she realized that the satyr was right. Minus her fit on day one, bad weather just seemed to skirt around them.**

 **But this storm...this one was huge. And not the kind she normally would just watch at times to clear her head. There was something different about it, she could tell. If Andi had to guess, this storm, unlike most others, was a result of her dad's personal attention.**

 **At the volleyball pit, the kids from Apollo's cabin were playing a morning game against the satyrs. Castor and Pollux were walking around in the strawberry fields, making the plants grow. Everybody was going about their normal business, but they looked tense. They all kept their eyes on the storm.**

"Better than being in the eye of the storm."

"...Can't fault you there," Poseidon said to Ares.

 **The trio walked up to the front porch of the Big House. Dionysus sat at the pinochle table in his tiger-striped Hawaiian shirt with his Diet Coke, just as he had on their first day. Chiron sat across the table in his fake wheelchair. They were playing against invisible opponents, two sets of cards hovering in the air.**

 **"Well, well," Mr. D said without looking up. "Our little celebrities."**

 **Both children tensed. Andi fiddled with her ring even more, as they just waited. Percy could see in the corner of his eye that Andi's eyes were all over the place. No doubt whatever escape plan of hers that she'd decided to go with today, ready to go at the drop of a dime.**

 **"Come closer," Mr. D said. "And don't expect me to kowtow to you, mortal, just because old Barnacle-Beard is your father." He said to Percy.**

"...Put barnacles in my beard just one time for the holiday and you _never_ let me live it down!" Poseidon grumbled.

"I thought it was rather poetic, Poseidon," Rhea said with a kind smile to her child.

"Er, well, thank you Mother."

 **A flash of lightning streaked across the clouds outside, the light briefly throwing Mr. D's face into sharp relief, highlighting his brilliant purple eyes; even as a strong wind screamed through camp, rattling the windows.**

 **"Blah, blah, blah," Dionysus replied petulantly to whatever Zeus was saying through the storm.**

Zeus glared at his son, who shrugged in return.

 **Chiron feigned interest in his pinochle cards. Grover cowered by the railing, his hooves clopping back and forth.**

 **"If I had my way," Dionysus said, "I would cause your molecules to erupt in flames. We'd sweep up the ashes and be done with a lot of trouble. But Chiron seems to feel this would be against my mission at this accursed camp: to keep you little brats safe from harm."**

 **"Spontaneous combustion is a form of harm, Mr. D," Chiron put in.**

 **"Nonsense," Dionysus assured. "Boy wouldn't feel a thing.**

"Exactly!" Dionysus huffed. "It's called spontaneous for a reason!"

"Full on combustion is painful..." Leo mumbled.

"You were a living missile, you don't count, Lionel."

 **Nevertheless, I've agreed to restrain myself. I'm thinking of turning you into a dolphin instead, sending you back to your father."**

 **"Mr. D-" Chiron warned.**

 **"Oh, all right," Dionysus relented. "There's one more option. But it's deadly foolishness." Dionysus rose, and the invisible players' cards dropped to the table. "I'm off to Olympus for the emergency meeting. If the boy is still here when I get back, I'll turn him into an Atlantic bottlenose. Do you understand? And Perseus Jackson, if you're at all smart, you'll see that's a much more sensible choice than what Chiron feels you must do."**

"I kind of want to see a world where I didn't go on the quest..."

"No, Seaweed Brain." Annabeth cut her boyfriend off.

"I'd still choose you and Mom over being a dolphin."

"Hey, Percy? If you had to choose, would you choose Annabeth or your mom?" Thalia asked, a smirk on her face.

Percy's eyes went wide. "Uhh...I ...uh...I ...Obviously, I'd... I plead the fifth."

"...Smart choice." Frank and Jason nodded in approval while Annabeth furrowed her brows and glared at the snickering Thalia.

 **He warned as his eyes went to Andi, who tensed up at his look, "Oh calm down brat. You act as if you were going to be executed." He mocked with a crooked grin.**

 **Andi's shoulders relaxed a fraction, but her frame still stood rigid, ready to spring from how tense she was.**

 **Dionysus picked up a playing card, twisted it, and it became a plastic rectangle. Like some credit card or one of those hotel keycards.**

 **He snapped his fingers.**

 **The air seemed to fold and bend around him. He became a hologram, then a gust of wind, and then he was gone, leaving only the smell of fresh-pressed grapes lingering behind.**

"He used to have another smell that went with it. It was much more potent than grape." Apollo informed the demigods.

"Fifty more years. Just fifty more years." Dionysus reminded himself quietly.

 **Chiron smiled at us, but he looked tired and strained. "Sit Percy, Andi, please; and Grover as well."**

 **The others did, but Andi didn't, distrust shining in her eyes.**

 **Chiron sighed, he had heard a few of Andi's comments on hers and Percy's situation, so her current lack of faith was somewhat expected, "Andi, they are not going to kill you. However, an issue of great importance has arisen."**

 **Chiron laid his cards on the table, as Andi tensely took her sit next to him.**

 **"Tell me, both of you," he said. "What did you make of the hellhound?"**

 **Just hearing the name made Percy shudder. Andi frowned, looking down.**

 **"It scared me," Percy said honestly. "If you hadn't shot it, who knows what would have happened."**

"Ripping, snarling, tearing and gore everywhere! Why, we'd possibly be down one Percy Jackson," Ares said nonchalantly.

"You're rather talkative for this chapter, Ares," Hera said dryly.

"Well, I got a lot to say and – Hey, screw you, Apollo! I'm ten times the man you'll ever be!"

"Huh, you got it sooner than I'd thought you would." Apollo mused.

 **Andi breathed through her nose, "I could have beaten it, I'm sure I could have, but seeing it made me go blank." She gritted out, looking ashamed of herself, "If I didn't make that wind wall…well, unlike Percy, I would probably be dead." She stated, looking to the side, trying to avoid eye contact.**

 **Chiron gave a sad smile at that. There was nothing to be ashamed of; many of the other campers were shocked at seeing it too. "You'll meet worse, you two. Far worse, before you're done."**

 **"Done ... with what?" Percy asked, hesitant.**

"With your homework!" Frank declared dramatically, an accusing gaze locked on the Hero of Olympus.

"Don't even joke about that!" Percy hissed.

 **Andi looked up, "It has to do with that I reckon." She surmised, nodding towards the rumbling skies filling the valley.**

 **"Your quest, of course. Will you accept it?" Chiron said to Percy.**

 **Percy glanced at Grover, who was crossing his fingers.**

 **"Um, sir," Percy said, "you haven't told me what it is yet."**

 **"Yeah, I don't go into things half baked, or I try not to at least." Andi answered with a frown.**

 **Chiron grimaced. "Well, that's the hard part, the details."**

 **Thunder rumbled across the valley. The storm clouds had now reached the edge of the beach. As far as they could see, the sky and the sea were melding together.**

 **"Poseidon and Zeus," Percy said. "They're fighting over something valuable ... something that was stolen, aren't they?"**

"Last year's life-sized statue of Scar-Jo."

"Apollo, that's not funny," Zeus said, glaring at his son.

Apollo rubbed his neck and looked to the side. "I thought it was."

"It wouldn't be the first time." Rhea mused.

"Mother!"

 **Chiron and Grover exchanged looks.**

 **Chiron sat forward in his wheelchair. "How did you know that?"**

 **Percy looked flustered. "The weather since Christmas has been weird, like the sea and the sky are fighting. Then I talked to Annabeth, and she'd overheard something about a theft. And ... I've also been having these dreams; Andi was in the last one." He said, looking to the blue eyed girl.**

"My, Percy!" Aphrodite tittered while the boy in question turned bright red.

"That wasn't – I didn't – Annabeth, say something smart!"

"In comparison to that, Percy, anything will sound smart." Thalia snickered.

"No one asked you!"

 **Andi nodded, "It's true, our sires are fighting over something, I think it was why we were claimed." She said, some frost in her tone.**

 **"I knew it," Grover said.**

 **"Hush, satyr," Chiron ordered.**

 **"But it is his quest! Or even hers!" Grover's eyes were bright with excitement. "It must be!"**

 **"Only the Oracle can determine that." Chiron said as he stroked his bristly beard. "Nevertheless, both of you are correct. Your fathers are having their worst quarrel in centuries. They are fighting over something valuable that was stolen. To be precise: a lightning bolt."**

 **Percy laughed nervously. "A what?"**

 **Andi's eyes widened, "No, are you serious?" she demanded. She knew what was taken instantly.**

"She just knew on instinct?" Annabeth asked. She looked at Jason. "Did you know?"

Jason shook his head. "No, I had a bad feeling in my gut though."

 **Andi had heard the stories; her father had a weapon, a lightning bolt, his most prized tool.**

"His magical massive glow stick of _d_ _oom_!"

"Poseidon, be silent!" Zeus thundered at his brother's announcement. His face was glowing purple while his children and siblings and _Mother_ laughed uproariously.

The demigods were only keeping themselves by doing so by clamping hands over their mouths.

Poseidon grinned at his brother.

"What?" He asked. "I was just adding to the dramatic buildup."

"Dramatic my ass, you were insulting my symbol of power!"

"I was not!"

"You were so!"

"B-Boys, that's enough." Rhea giggled out. She cleared her throat and recomposed herself. "Poseidon, don't make fun of Zeus' migh-er, Master Bolt. And Zeus, calm yourself."

Poseidon continued to smirk victoriously while Zeus huffed and pouted.

 **One that, alongside the shield Aegis, had been in many stories. From what Annabeth told her, Thalia in fact had a copy of the famed shield that could scare monsters and demigods alike.**

 **"Do not take this lightly," Chiron warned Percy. "I'm not talking about some tinfoil-covered zigzag you'd see in a second-grade play. I'm talking about a two-foot-long cylinder of high-grade celestial bronze, capped on both ends with god-level explosives."**

 **"How does he** _ **lose**_ **that thing?!" Andi asked herself in a whisper, voice full of disbelief. Did he leave it beside his golden toilet or something?**

"That only happened once or twice."

"HERA!" Zeus' shout was drowned out by Poseidon's booming laughter.

 **"Oh." Percy said dumbly.**

 **"Zeus' master bolt," Chiron said, getting worked up now. "The symbol of his power, from which all other lightning bolts are patterned. The first weapon made by the Cyclopes for the war against the Titans, the bolt that sheared the top off Mount Etna and hurled Kronos from his throne; the master bolt, which packs enough power to make mortal hydrogen bombs look like firecrackers."**

 **"And it's missing?" Percy asked with a gulp.**

 **"Stolen," Chiron said.**

 **"By who?"**

 **"By whom," Chiron corrected. "By you." He said pointing to Percy.**

"...Me?" Percy squeaked playfully.

"You." Thalia smirked. She began to stroke her finger and tsked at her cousin. "For shame, Percy. For shame. Didn't your mother ever teach you not to steal?"

"Shut up, Thalia. I was joking."

 **Percy's mouth fell open.**

 **Andi blinked, a chuckle escaping her quirked up lips, "We** _ **are**_ **talking about Baywatch here, right?" Percy couldn't steal anything if he tried, she knew, she'd dared him to give it a go a few times. And in those times, found it funny as he tried and failed to pull a Cabin Eleven.**

 **"At least"-Chiron held up a hand-"that's what Zeus thinks. During the winter solstice, at the last council of the gods, Zeus and Poseidon had an argument. The usual nonsense: 'Mother Rhea always liked you best,' Air disasters are more spectacular than sea disasters,' et cetera. Afterward, Zeus realized his master bolt was missing, taken from the throne room under his very nose. He immediately blamed Poseidon. Now, a god cannot usurp another god's symbol of power directly-that is forbidden by the most ancient of divine laws. But Zeus believes your father convinced a human hero to take it."**

"Yes, because I have enough time on my hands." Poseidon scoffed.

"...You had a child-"

"Who didn't even know _I_ , let alone _you_ , was still alive." Poseidon interjected pointedly.

"It could've been a ruse!"

"Father, this is Poseidon we're speaking of." Athena drawled. "He's not smart enough for that kind of ruse."

"...I'll get you for that later, but thank you, Athena." Poseidon grit out. The goddess of wisdom smirked back at him.

"Any time, Poseidon."

 **"But I didn't-"**

 **"Patience, and listen, child," Chiron said. "Zeus has good reason to be suspicious. The forges of the Cyclopes are under the ocean, which gives Poseidon some influence over the makers of his brother's lightning. Zeus believes Poseidon has taken the master bolt, and is now secretly having the Cyclopes build an arsenal of illegal copies, which might be used to topple Zeus from his throne.**

"And that's another thing. Why would I make illegal copies?" Poseidon asked. "The time and effort would be pointless, not to mention catastrophic for our domains."

"You'd reshape the world in your image."

"Please, I saw that Costner film that Apollo hyped up just as you did. I'd rather _not_ live in a world covered by nothing but ocean." Poseidon scoffed. "Where would the equine live?"

"Point." Zeus grumbled while Apollo winced at being reminded of one of his least favorite mess-ups in the film industry.

 **The only thing Zeus wasn't sure about was which hero Poseidon used to steal the bolt. Now Poseidon has openly claimed you as his son. You were in New York over the winter holidays. You could easily have snuck into Olympus. Zeus believes he has found his thief."**

 **"But I've never even been to Olympus! Zeus is crazy!"**

 **Chiron and Grover glanced nervously at the sky. The clouds didn't seem to be parting around them, as Grover had promised. They were rolling straight over the valley, sealing the area in like a coffin lid.**

 **"Er, Percy ...?" Grover said. "We don't use the c-word to describe the Lord of the Sky."**

"No, that's Dionysus." Hades drawled.

"The correct word is paranoid, Percy." Poseidon informed his son, ignoring the glare his brother sent his way.

"Ain't that the truth?" Percy mumbled with a small and amused smile on his face.

 **"Perhaps paranoid," Chiron suggested. "Then again, Poseidon has tried to unseat Zeus before. I believe that was question thirty-eight on your final exam..." He looked Percy at knowingly.**

 **"Something about a golden net?" Percy guessed in a rare bout of remembrance. "Poseidon and Hera and a few other gods ...they, like, trapped Zeus and wouldn't let him out until he promised to be a better ruler, right?"**

"Which, might I add, was all _Hera's_ idea."

Hera sent Poseidon a very nasty look while Zeus stroked his beard thoughtfully.

"It was her idea, wasn't it? ...Hephaestus, would you care to craft something for me?"

"Think twice before answering that, Hephaestus." Hera warned her son.

"Or what? Are you going to throw me off of the mountain again?" Hephaestus drawled.

"Hera, Hephaestus, please!" Rhea frowned.

"Sorry, Mother." "Humph."

 **"Correct," Chiron said. "And Zeus has never trusted Poseidon since. Of course, Poseidon denies stealing the master bolt. He took great offense at the accusation. The two have been arguing back and forth for months, threatening war. And now, you've come along-the proverbial last straw."**

 **"But I'm just a kid!"**

"And life is a nightmare! I'm just a kid, I know that it's not fair, nobody cares 'cause I'm alone and the world is having more fun than m-Ow! Arte, the hell!?" Apollo rubbed his head and glared at his twin.

"My ear-bud fell out." Artemis drawled, making note of her noise silencing ear-buds, one sitting in her palm. "I had to stop the sound somehow."

"...Such an abusive little sis..."

"I am not younger than you!"

"But you are shorter, _Lil_ Sis."

Artemis glowered at her twin's smug face.

Bastar...Dick.

 **the child of the sea argued strongly.**

 **"Like they'd care." Andi grunted out, putting her elbow on the table as her palm supported her chin. They're gods, they wouldn't, they think you crossed them and they'll gun for you. It happened all the time in the legends.**

 **"Percy," Grover cut in, "if you were Zeus, and you already thought your brother was plotting to overthrow you, then your brother suddenly admitted he had broken the sacred oath he took after World War II, that he's fathered a new mortal hero who might be used as a weapon against you... Wouldn't that put a twist in your toga?"**

"And the satyr shows to be a voice of reason." Zeus huffed.

"A hypocritical voice of reason," Hades said dryly.

"No one asked you for your opinion, Hades."

"No one ever does, so I speak when I feel it necessary."

"It wasn't necessary."

"Felt like it to me."

"Well no one asked you-!"

"Because no one ever does!"

Zeus let out a frustrated growl while Hades smirked.

"I'm a master at making arguments cycle until my opponent tires, Zeus. Do you know what it's like to convince cheeky mortals that they deserve their punishment? It's tiring, but I manage."

 **Andi snorted with an eye roll, "Kinda hypocritical since he sired two already, both before Poseidon did mind you." She spoke in a dry tone. She was born at the end of July while Percy was born in mid August. So yeah, pot meet kettle.**

Poseidon and Hades sent Zeus smug looks.

"Silence."

"We didn't-"

"I said be silent!"

 **Grover looked sheepish at that.**

 **"But I didn't do anything. Poseidon-my dad-he didn't really have this master bolt stolen, did he?"**

 **Chiron sighed. "Most thinking observers would agree that thievery is not Poseidon's style. But the Sea God is too proud to try convincing Zeus of that. Zeus has demanded that Poseidon return the bolt by the summer solstice. That's June twenty-first, ten days from now. Poseidon wants an apology for being called a thief by the same date. I hoped that diplomacy might prevail, that Hera or Demeter or Hestia would make the two brothers see sense. But your arrival has inflamed Zeus's temper and Andi's has raised Poseidon's in turn at the hypocrisy of it all. Now, neither god will back down. Unless someone intervenes, unless the master bolt is found and returned to Zeus before the solstice, there will be war. And do you know what a full-fledged war would look like, Percy?"**

 **"Bad?" Percy guessed with a worried look.**

"My, that's adorably and frighteningly naïve." Rhea mused. Her words made her grandson groan into his hands.

"Hero of Olympus, mother. _That_ is the Hero of Olympus." Zeus grumbled.

"...We're _so_ lucky Tyche still likes us." Hermes mumbled under his breath.

 _ **If that dream was anything to go by, "bad" doesn't even cover it.**_ **Andi thought with a frown, remembering the carnage of it all.**

 **"Imagine the world in chaos. Nature at war with itself. Olympians forced to choose sides between Zeus and Poseidon. Destruction. Carnage. Millions dead. Western civilization turned into a battleground so big it will make the Trojan War look like a water-balloon fight."**

 **"Bad," Percy repeated with a frown.**

"...Oh, dear god, the fate of the world was in _his_ hands?" Leo asked, eyes wide with terror.

"Wow, just...just wow." Piper mumbled.

"All of your rep is down the toilet." Annabeth smirked at her boyfriend.

Percy hung his head and whimpered. "I know."

 **"And you, Percy Jackson, would be the first to feel Zeus's wrath."**

 **It started to rain. Volleyball players stopped their game and stared in stunned silence at the sky.**

 **Percy's frown deepened, he had brought this storm to Half-Blood Hill. Zeus was punishing the whole camp because of him. He was furious.**

 **"So I have to find the stupid bolt," Percy said with narrowed eyes. "And return it to Zeus."**

 **"To be honest with you both, when Andi was first claimed, I had the intention of sending her on this quest." The trainer said, getting Andi to look at him sharply, "Forgive me for being crude my dear, but what other time would Zeus openly admit to siring a second hero after breaking the oath the first time, then to have claimed you when he needed you most?" he asked the young girl.**

 **Andi clenched her free hand, knuckles white, but let out a bark of laughter. Why was she surprised? She was more or less a 'mistake' in this system right now, "Honestly? I asked him what he wanted from me my first night in the cabin. 'Course he never said, but here it is." Andi said with a forced smile, "And even then, he gets someone else to do it to appease him. Figures." She snorted while looking down to fiddle with her ring.**

 **The trainer sighed and turned to Percy, "What better peace offering," Chiron said, "than to have the son of Poseidon return Zeus's property?"**

"By calmly sitting down and explaining everything?"

"Hestia, we've known our brothers how long?" Demeter challenged.

"I can try, can't I?" Hestia huffed.

 **"If Poseidon doesn't have it, where is the thing?" the green eyed boy asked questioningly.**

"...I wonder where this is going?" Hades drawled sarcastically.

"Hades, shush, I'm trying to listen." Rhea told her eldest, who huffed and propped up his head by his elbow.

 **"I believe I know." Chiron's expression was grim. "Part of a prophecy I had years ago ... well, some of the lines make sense to me, now. But before I can say more, you must officially take up the quest. You must seek the counsel of the Oracle."**

 **"Why can't you tell me where the bolt is beforehand?" Percy asked, not liking where this was going. Well, even less than he already did that is.**

 **"Because if I did, you would be too afraid to accept the challenge."**

 **Percy swallowed. "Good reason."**

 **"You agree then?"**

 **Percy turned to Grover, who nodded encouragingly.**

 **"All right," Percy said with a stiff nod. "It's better than being turned into a dolphin."**

"Debatable." Dionysus sniffed.

 **"Then it's time you consulted the Oracle," Chiron said. "Go upstairs, Percy Jackson, to the attic. When you come back down, assuming you're still sane, we will talk more."**

 **The son of Poseidon stood and started to go upstairs.**

 **As Andi watched him leave, a part of her was angry. In her mind, she was, no matter how childish this sounded, better then Percy. Oh, sure, in time he would be good, she could tell, but he was still razzled by all this. Andi on the other hand, well, she was more accepting of it and overall was just better equipped for the responsibility of a quest, especially one this important, at the moment. It was** _ **her**_ **sire's symbol, why should he be the one to look for it? Personally, she thought Zeus was just looking for an excuse to get her cousin killed.**

Zeus whistled innocently and inspected his nails while his brother and nephew looked at him.

 **"I guess I'll go back to my cabin then." Andi said as she rose from her chair. But Chiron cleared his throat to get her attention as she pushed the chair back.**

 **"Actually, as much as I disagreed with Lord Zeus on this, he wishes for you to go as well." The centaur spoke.**

 **The daughter of the sky blinked and narrowed her eyes, "Why would you be against it?" she asked with a frown.**

 **Chiron sighed, "Percy is allowed two additional members on his quest. So normally a quest is done in a group of three. While Percy is allowed his group, your father wishes for you to go along so** _ **'When Poseidon's child fails; my daughter will pick up the slack.'**_ **His words, not mine."**

"That certainly sounds like Zeus' foolishness." Hera mused.

"Foolishness!?" Zeus glared at his wife.

"Yes. Foolishness. Like keeping all of us – sans Hades – locked up on Olympus."

"I wasn't even sent an invite. Not that that's anything new," Hades said sourly while Zeus began to turn purple.

 **The trainer grumbled, "Three is a sacred and magical number you see, anymore on a quest could mean catastrophe, but Lord Zeus insisted on it."**

 **"How … encouraging." Andi said with a dry tone as she sat back down, moving her chair forward as she did so, "And more like he doesn't want his child shown up by his brother's." she continued with a shake of her head.**

 **There wasn't an offended boom that time.**

 **Chiron gave a rueful smile, "I** _ **might**_ **agree with you, but it isn't my place to question the God King."**

 **Andi rolled her eyes, way to skirt around to say he fully agreed with her.**

"What a cheeky centaur Chiron has become." Zeus grumbled.

"I've been saying that for decades!" Dionysus groaned.

 **Percy's 3rd POV**

 **Percy walked down a few minutes later, confusion and frustration written all over his face.**

 **"Well?" Chiron asked him with a raised eyebrow.**

 **Percy slumped into a chair at the pinochle table. "She said I would retrieve what was stolen."**

 **Grover sat forward, chewing excitedly on the remains of a Diet Coke can. "That's great!"**

 **"What did the Oracle say exactly?" Chiron pressed. "This is important."**

"On the fourth of May, the force will be with you."

"God, Apollo, you seriously messed up that trilogy."

"For the last time, Herm, that was ALL Lucas. I had _nothing_ to do with Episode I...except for Jar Jar, but in my defense, he was supposed to be a Sith!"

 **Percy shivered a bit and shook his head. "She...she said I would go west and face a god who had turned. I would retrieve what was stolen and see it safely returned."**

 **"I knew it," Grover said.**

"Smug little..." Hades scowled.

 **Chiron didn't look satisfied. "Anything else?" he asked sternly, clearly wanting everything.**

 **Percy didn't want to tell him. He didn't want to tell anyone.**

 **What friend would betray him?**

"Well, they tend to be the 'prettiest' ones that back stab." Artemis smirked at the outraged Aphrodite.

"D-Did you just make a jab at me...with _finger quotes_?" The goddess of love asked.

"I learned from the best."

Apollo grinned and then frowned. "Hey..."

 **He didn't have that many…could Andi, no, he shook his head. No, she was in on this just as much as he was…man he hoped he was right.**

 **And the last line, he would fail to save what mattered most. What kind of Oracle would send him on a quest and tell him, "Oh, by the way, you'll fail".**

 **How could he confess that?**

 **"No," Percy said. "That's about it."**

 **Andi was looking at him with a curious glint in her eye, probably wondering what he saw up there and why it had left him so shaken.**

 **Chiron studied Percy's face too. "Very well, Percy. But know this: the Oracle's words often have double meanings. Don't dwell on them too much. The truth is not always clear until events come to pass."**

"That...Ugh..." Percy sighed. "I can't even put it in words how right that is."

"Amen to that, dude." Leo nodded as he turned the page.

 **Percy squirmed a bit at his wording. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a look of comprehension flash across the the witch's face. She must have connected the dots, and figured out he was holding something back.**

 **"Okay," Percy said, anxious to change topics. "So where do I go? Who's this god in the west?"**

 **"Ah, think, Percy," Chiron said. "If Zeus and Poseidon weaken each other in a war, who stands to gain?"**

"Fourth time I've heard it and _still_ it pisses me off." Hades growled.

"Well, you don't have the best history with your brothers, Hades."

"They're the ones who're intolerable, Mother!"

"Hey!" "I am not intolerable!"

"Boys!" Rhea raised her voice slightly. Three doors appeared, each with one of her sons' symbol on them. "Would you like another time out?"

"No, Mother." The Big Three chorused.

"Good. Then shush." Rhea nodded and the doors vanished.

 **"Somebody else who wants to take over?" Percy guessed.**

 **Andi blinked at the centaur, "Isn't that a bit stereotypical? Blaming our uncle?" she asked, her tone was strange, Percy noted. There was a good bit of hate for what their uncle did to Thalia, but also some…exasperation? "Seriously, you're making things out like something out of a cliché movie script."**

 **"Ah, but think about it Andi," Chiron said in a teacher-like tone, "He is someone who harbors a grudge, who has been unhappy with his lot since the world was divided eons ago, whose kingdom would grow powerful with the deaths of millions. Someone who hates his brothers for forcing him into an oath to have no more children, an oath that both of them have now broken."**

 **Well at least he didn't say again in there, Percy was thankful for that as he was sure Andi would have gotten even more pissed off if he did. And frankly? The son of Poseidon was worried enough about her temper right now. He didn't want Andi adding to her dad's storm.**

"Wow. Really, Percy?"

"Thalia, don't make it worse."

"Annie, stay out of it."

"Children..." Hestia sighed at her niece and grandniece.

 **Percy closed his eyes in thought, "Hades." He spoke.**

 **Chiron nodded. "The Lord of the Dead is the only possibility."**

 **"He's one possibility, that I can buy. But the only one? No way. There's got to be others." Andi pointed out skeptically.**

"...Astonishing, the voice of reason comes from Zeus' spawn..." Hades was floored by the idea.

"Ahem...?" Athena and Artemis gave their uncle cross looks.

"What? Logic and reason aren't always guaranteed to be the same thing." Hades huffed. "And obviously, Artemis, you fail to pass your logic onto your Hunters."

Poseidon snickered while Athena and Artemis looked even more upset.

 **A scrap of aluminum dribbled out of Grover's mouth. "Whoa, wait. Wh-What?"**

 **"A Fury came after Percy," Chiron reminded him and told Andi. "She watched the young man until she was sure of his identity, then tried to kill him. Furies obey only one lord: Hades."**

 **Andi's shoulders slumped, "Okay, didn't know that tidbit." She amended with a frown at her being wrong, or semi-wrong.**

 **"Yes, but-but Hades hates all heroes," Grover protested. "Especially if he has found out Percy is a son of Poseidon..."**

 **"A hellhound got into the forest," Chiron continued. "Those can only be summoned from the Fields of Punishment, and it had to be summoned by someone within the camp. Hades must have a spy here. He must suspect Poseidon will try to use Percy to clear his name or Andi to go for the bolt. Hades would very much like to kill these young half-bloods before either could take on the quest."**

 **"Great," Percy muttered tiredly. "That's two major gods who want to kill me."**

"We do so with love." Hades drawled.

"Would you like a storm for your twenty first birthday?"

"Zeus, I swear that if you so much as make Percy get a static shock from a _doorknob_..." Poseidon warned his amused brother.

 **"Well hey; I got two on me also Percy. Good ol' uncle H and dear auntie of the heavens." Andi told him blandly, "Me thinks you got the easier end of the stick." She said with a dry quip and a dull blink.**

 **Percy grimaced, okay, she kind of had a point.**

 **"But a quest to ..." Grover swallowed. "I mean, couldn't the master bolt be in some place like Maine? Maine's very nice this time of year."**

"He's obviously never read a Stephen King book." Apollo scoffed.

"Why is he so obsessed with that place?" Hermes asked, a haunted look in his eye. "I just don't get it!"

 **"Hades sent a minion to steal the master bolt," Chiron insisted. "He hid it in the Underworld, knowing full well that Zeus would blame Poseidon. I don't pretend to understand the Lord of the Dead's motives perfectly, or why he chose this time to start a war, but one thing is certain: Percy and Andi must go to the Underworld, find the master bolt, and reveal the truth."**

 **Percy's expression fell as he processed the ancient centaur's words.**

 _ **So I basically have to go one of the scariest places in the world, get back a powerful weapon that casually trims the top off mountains, and make it back without missing any limbs or major organs. Sure, okay, this...is going to suck. Seriously, how was I supposed to do that?**_ **Percy then remembered the Underworld, the land of the dead. His mom...he could get his mom back!**

"...Way to prioritize, Percy." Thalia drawled.

"If your mom was as awesome as my mom, you'd not be talking like that."

"Yeah, well, she _wasn't_."

"My point exactly." Percy nodded.

 **He had to take this quest. Sure, getting the bolt would be nice, but his mom...that was the most important thing right now.**

 **The child of the sea was just firming up his determination when a concerned looking Andi leaned over and shook his shoulder, "Percy." She said, getting his attention as his neck craned up to face her, "You cool mate?" she asked with a frown.**

 **"Yeah Andi, I'm perfectly fine." Percy replied in a tight tone.**

 **"If you're sure." She mumbled leaning back into her chair.**

 **"I am." Percy said as he turned to see Grover trembling. He'd started eating pinochle cards like potato chips.**

"He's going to get fat if he can't get his diet under control."

"Leo, he's a vegetarian."

"So? They can still over-eat. Not work out. You know, be unhealthy outside of what they eat."

 **The poor guy needed to complete a quest with the son of the sea so he could get his searcher's license, but how could he ask Grover to do this quest, especially when the Oracle said he was destined to fail? This was suicide and Andi was already signed up if what Chiron said about her going with him was true.**

 **"Look, if we know it's Hades," Percy told Chiron, "why can't we just tell the other gods? Zeus or Poseidon could go down to the Underworld and bust some heads."**

 **"Yes, a grand brawl in the land of the dead shaking the foundation of the earth's crust." Andi snarked, "Just what we need to stop, not encourage."**

 **"Andi speaks the truth; a battle between the Big Three is far too inadvisable. Beyond that suspecting and knowing are not the same," Chiron said. "Even if the other gods suspect Hades-and I imagine Poseidon does-they couldn't retrieve the bolt themselves. Gods cannot cross into each other's territories except by invitation. That is another ancient rule. Heroes, on the other hand, have certain privileges. They can go anywhere; challenge anyone, as long as they're bold enough and strong enough to do it. No god can be held responsible for a hero's actions. Why do you think the gods always operate through humans?"**

"Because it's fun. Duh." Dionysus smirked.

The other Olympians didn't disagree, and the demigods became very nervous by that.

 **"Because we're puppets in this system of Western Civilization?" Andi asked with distasteful bite in her tone.**

 **"You're saying we're being used." Percy spoke, frowning at the fact.**

 **"I'm saying it's no accident Poseidon has claimed you now. It's a very risky gamble, but he's in a desperate situation. He needs you. It was why Zeus claimed Andi, no doubt intending for her to take this quest as I said before." Chiron said and looked to Andi, "And I wouldn't say puppets, more like agents." He stated, trying to steer her from that bitter thought process.**

"That's like trying to steer Thalia away from a burger joint." Annabeth snorted.

"...Aren't you a hunter?" Piper asked.

"Yeah. I eat meat." Thalia smiled. "Had moose the other day. That was really good."

"Jason, we need to talk about your sister."

Jason groaned into his hand. "Leo. Read. Fast. _Now_."

 **Percy guessed that he had probably heard his fair share of similar thoughts over the years and if his persistent attempts to get Andi to stop thinking like that were anything to go by, they hadn't led to anything good.**

 **Percy mulled over his thoughts,** _ **My dad needs me.**_

 **Emotions swirled inside of him. He didn't know whether to feel resentful or grateful or happy or angry. But the latter felt right. Poseidon had ignored him for twelve years. Now suddenly he needed Percy.**

"I didn't exactly _ignore_ you," Poseidon said with a frown. He glared at Zeus. "Mister pissy pants here would've thrown another fit."

"I don't throw fits!"

"Yet you don't argue the other thing..." Hades mused.

Zeus ground his teeth together.

"And then there's the whole thing where Sally can't breathe underwater...and Amphitrite would've possibly gotten involved...Not to mention how Trition would've taken it..." Poseidon continued, ignoring his brothers.

 **He looked at Chiron. "You've known I was Poseidon's son all along, haven't you?"**

 **"I had my suspicions. As I said ... I've spoken to the Oracle, too."**

 **Percy just gave him a look but decided to drop it, not really wanting to get into it.**

 **"So let me get this straight," Percy said slowly. "We're supposed to go to the Underworld and confront the Lord of the Dead."**

 **"Check," Chiron said.**

 **"Find the most powerful weapon in the universe."**

 **"Yep." Andi said while popping the p.**

 **"And get it back to Olympus before the summer solstice, in ten days."**

 **"That's about right." Chiron nodded.**

 **Percy looked at Grover, who gulped down the ace of hearts.**

 **"Did I mention that Maine is very nice this time of year?" he asked weakly.**

"Stephen King." Apollo and Hermes shivered in disagreement.

 **"You don't have to go," He told Grover. "I can't ask that of you. Andi's already being forced into this." He said with a frown since they both didn't have a choice.**

 **"Hey," Andi interjected with narrowed electric blue eyes, "I'd be going anyway, someone needs to make sure you don't trip up." She smirked playfully.**

 **Percy just gave a shake of his head and laughed a bit, "Thanks for the reminder," he said and turned back to Grover.**

 **"Oh ..." The satyr shifted his hooves. "No...it's just that satyrs and underground places ... well..."**

 **He took a deep breath, then stood, brushing the shredded cards and aluminum bits off his T-shirt. "You saved my life, Percy. If...if you're serious about wanting me along, I won't let you down."**

 **Percy felt incredibly relieved and pleased, "All the way, G-man." he said before turning to Chiron and asking. "So where do we go? The Oracle just said to go west."**

 **"The entrance to the Underworld is always in the west. It moves from age to age, just like Olympus. Right now, of course, it's in America."**

"Of course it is. Because this country is not difficult to traverse at all..." Percy mumbled.

"You've gotta have the right connections, Percy," Hermes said, smirking.

 **"Where?"**

 **Chiron looked surprised. "I thought that would be obvious enough. The entrance to the Underworld is in Los Angeles."**

 **"Oh," Percy said. "Naturally. So we just get on a plane-"**

 **"No!" Grover shrieked. "Percy, what are you thinking? Have you ever been on a plane in your life?"**

 **The son of Poseidon shook his head.**

 **"Percy, think," Chiron said. "You are the son of the Sea God. Your father's bitterest rival is Zeus, Lord of the Sky. Your mother knew better than to trust you in an airplane. You would be in Zeus's domain. You would never come down again alive."**

"We never got to drive to Disney World or Disneyland..." Percy frowned. "All my classmates had been at least once by the sixth grade."

 **Overhead, lightning crackled. Thunder boomed.**

 **"Okay," Percy said, determined not to look at the storm. "But what about Andi? It's not like he would bomb down his own kid, right?" he asked, thinking that it was a no-brainer.**

 **Andi snorted scornfully, "He saved my sister by turning her into a tree, who knows what he would do to 'save' me." she said with finger quotes, "Besides, I hate those muggle planes, too much noise. I'd rather be on my broom or fly myself." She answered him, "Much more peaceful."**

"She knows how fun it is." Dionysus smirked. "I like this sister. Much more tolerable thus far."

He ignored the glares he received from Athena and Artemis.

"You do know that she's a demigod, right?" Hephaestus asked.

"Ah, yes, well, we're not all perfect." Dionysus sighed somberly.

 **"So, we'll travel over land." Percy concluded, wondering what a muggle was and how his cousin was a stereotypical witch since she had a broomstick.**

 **"That's right," Chiron said. "Two companions may accompany you. Grover is one. The other has already volunteered, if you will accept her help."**

 **"You mean Andi." Percy said while pointing to the girl.**

 **"No…Lord Zeus wanted her along for the quest regardless of who you choose." Chiron answered.**

 **"Well, if it isn't Andi, then I wonder?" Percy said, feigning surprise. "Who else would be stupid enough to volunteer for a quest like this?"**

"Smitten by first insult. Now that's true love." Piper giggled.

"Shut up, McLean." Percy grumbled while Annabeth rubbed her temples, both teens blushing bright red.

 **The air shimmered behind Chiron.**

 **Annabeth became visible, stuffing her Yankees cap into her back pocket.**

 **"Okay I've got a cloak, she's got a hat…damn she did much better than me with her invisi-item." Andi pouted with crossed arms, "But at least I won't drown from testosterone, girl power for the win." She cheered and held out her fist to Annabeth. The blonde smirked as she walked over and bumped it back.**

 **Percy could only wonder who taught Andi about fist bumping.**

 **"I've been waiting a long time for a quest, Seaweed Brain," she said. "Athena is no fan of Poseidon, but if you're going to save the world, I'm the best person to keep you from messing up." Andi coughed with a blank look, "Well, Andi too, but I have a feeling I'll be looking out for her also."**

 **"I can just feel the love in that Bethy, bravo."**

 **"…Don't call me that."**

 **"Well when you tell me not to…"**

"I. Hate. Abbreviations." Annabeth huffed.

"Aw, but Annie, your name is a mouthful."

"Thalia, you're not fully immortal. Don't test me."

Hades gained a gleam in his eye and he smirked. "By all means, niece, test her. Test her."

"Hades!" Rhea chided her eldest son while Thalia was cowed into silence.

Hades shrugged. "What? Do you know how many children of Zeus I get to judge? Not a lot. Most are 'favored' and given many pardons..."

"Are you still upset over Arthur?" Zeus asked.

"Yes!" Hades snapped. "Your foolish son cemented our decline into myth. Oh, how I'd _love_ to get him back for permanently setting me as a villain."

"...You know that's not helping your case, Hades," Hera said dryly.

"Bah, what do you care? You're almost as infamous as I am in mortal circles."

"I am not!"

Apollo snorted and then looked down at his nails when the queen glared at him.

"Children, behave." Rhea drawled tiredly. And these were only the first entries of the series...

 **"I mean it." Annabeth said in a stern tone, "Thalia loved calling me nicknames just to mess with me too. Is this a child of Zeus thing? Chiron?"**

 **"But of course…Bethy." Andi smirked at her haughtily.**

 **Chiron just smiled noncommittally at Annabeth's question.**

 **Annabeth just flustered a bit.**

 **Percy smiled at the byplay. "If you do say so yourself," he said. "I suppose you have a plan, Wise Girl?"**

"Ah, the pet name to top all pet names," Piper said with a smirk.

"Shut up, McLean." Annabeth grumbled.

 **Her cheeks darkened a bit more. "Do you want my help or not?"**

 **The truth was, he did. The child of the sea needed all the help he could get.**

 **"A quartet," Percy said. "That'll work."**

 **"Or blow up in our faces." Andi pointed out with mirth, "Or not, who knows." She said with a lazy shrug.**

 **"Excellent," Chiron said. "This afternoon, we can take you as far as the bus terminal in Manhattan. After that, you are on your own."**

 **Lightning flashed. Rain poured down on the meadows that were never supposed to have violent weather.**

"Zeus, really? Those poor meadows have it hard enough!" Demeter complained.

"It was probably the Stormbringer." Zeus huffed.

"It's over land, that's all you, my _liege_." Poseidon smirked at his younger brother.

Zeus scowled and ignored the glare that his sister sent his way.

 **Percy noticed the child of Zeus rolling her eyes; she was obviously as impressed with her father's display as he was. Meaning: Not at all.**

 **"No time to waste," Chiron said. "I think you should all get packing."**

"Yeah, so get lost." Dionysus smirked.

"Dionysus!"

"Okay, I'm _done_ reading. Someone take this away from me." Leo groaned. "All of those point of view switches...my mind is spinning."


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

 **The Ever Twisting Wind: The Lightning Thief**

 **Chapter Six: My Pops Says Hello!**

"Alright, I'll read, Leo." Annabeth smirked at the grateful teen as the book was handed to her. She read the title and Percy snorted.

"Yes, all very welcoming with a lightning bolt aimed right at a bus full of innocent bystanders."

"Really, Zeus?" Rhea frowned at her son.

"He made that up!" Zeus protested.

"Percy can't lie, Zeus." Poseidon smirked. "He's like me."

"So bad it's just not worth it?" Hades asked dryly.

"...I was going to say above that."

"Ha! My right cheek you're above lying..."

"Boys, really, let the girl read!" Hestia huffed.

 **As Andi left Cabin Ten, she felt, refreshed? No, more like...less restricted, she finally felt like** _ **herself**_ **again.**

 **At the moment she was wearing a black tanktop with a great big #1 on the front in bold blue over a pair of dark denim shorts that cut off just shy of her knees, along with white socks scrunched up around the top of her blue hi-stops. A white short-sleeved hoodie with a blue band trimming a second, black band of meander, or Greek key, patterns was slung casually over one shoulder.**

 **Now these clothes, they felt more her speed; the camp t-shirts were nice and all, but getting stuck with them as the only thing she could wear was** _ **not**_ **something she was ever going to let happen; besides, it felt nice that she could finally express herself, albeit just through clothing, but to Andi, that was enough.**

"Ugh, why do all of your girls like to dress so horridly? Athena has her business pants, and Artemis has her gaudy silver!" Aphrodite complained, ignoring the glares the other two goddesses sent her way.

"They're expressing themselves, Mom."

"Yes, but they could look so well if they dressed more, well, how I would dress them."

"I'm no one's Barbie doll." Thalia scoffed.

 **In order to get them though she had had to argue a lot with Cabin Ten, and she meant** _ **a lot**_ **: for a good twenty minutes, pointing out that she needed some** _ **proper**_ **traveling clothes. They found her tastes 'too tomboyish' or 'not cute at all for her', but this style was what she had always liked. Besides, she wanted to feel badass. Not cute, blech!**

 **More importantly though, they were** _ **practical**_ **for an assuredly dangerous quest where there was certain to be plenty of fighting involved. If she'd gone with those cute outfits the Aphrodite kids were pushing on her, she wouldn't have been able to fight her way out of a wet paper bag. Frilly dresses were** _ **not**_ **fighting clothes!**

"Thank you!" Piper threw her arms in the air.

"But they look amazing!" Aphrodite pressed.

"They're useless, Mom. Utterly, utterly useless."

"Piper McLean, you watch your mouth!" Aphrodite glared at her daughter.

Artemis smirked. "Shame she already broke the rule of not falling in love, I'd offer her a place among my Hunters."

"Eh, I have yet to be impressed," Thalia said with a shrug.

 **Next, it was time to pack, not that it took her that long. She had her magical messenger bag; some supplies she got from the camp store along with a few pairs of spare clothes, also from Cabin Ten and in the same tomboyish style; and a first aid kit from Will, that according to him, were compliments of Cabin Seven. Her wand, knife, and cloak were next. Now, she just had to say goodbye to her sister and promise her that she was going to come back, alive.**

 **The camp store loaned the questers a hundred U.S. dollars in mortal money and twenty golden drachmas. Now, these drachmas were coins as big as Girl Scout cookies and had images of various Greek gods stamped on one side and the Empire State Building on the other. The ancient mortal drachmas had been silver, Chiron told them, but the Olympians never used anything less than pure gold. Chiron said the coins might come in handy for non-mortal transactions - whatever that meant. He gave the trio of demigods each a canteen of nectar and a Ziploc bag full of ambrosia squares, to be used only in emergencies, if they were seriously hurt. It was god food, Chiron reminded them. It would cure them of almost any injury, but it was lethal to mortals. Too much of it would make a half-blood very, very feverish. An overdose would burn them up, literally, and turning into ashes was** _ **not**_ **on her to-do list.**

"Meh, it wouldn't hurt much." Hephaestus shrugged. "You'd be dead before you'd got that far."

"That's...dark, Dad." Leo mumbled.

 **Annabeth was bringing her magic Yankees cap, which she told them had been a twelfth-birthday present from her mom. She carried a book on famous classical architecture, written in Ancient Greek, to read when she got bored, and a long bronze knife, hidden in her shirt sleeve. Percy was sure the knife would get them busted the first time they went through a metal detector.**

 **Grover wore his fake feet and his pants to pass as human. He wore a green rasta-style cap, because when it rained his curly hair flattened and you could just see the tips of his horns. His bright orange backpack was full of scrap metal and apples to snack on. In his pocket was a set of reed pipes his daddy goat had carved for him, even though he only knew two songs: Mozart's Piano Concerto no. 12 and Hilary Duff's "So Yesterday," both of which sounded like dying cats on reed pipes.**

"In all honesty, they sound like dying cats on pretty much any instrument." Hermes smirked.

"That's not true and you know it." Apollo scowled at him.

 **Percy, Annabeth and Grover waved good-bye to the other campers, took one last look at the strawberry fields, the ocean, and the Big House, then hiked up Half-Blood Hill to the tall pine tree that used to be Thalia, daughter of Zeus. Andi was already up there, leaning against its trunk while talking to it.**

 **Andi sighed as she brushed her hand against the tree one more time, "So, yeah, got to save the world and what not. I know it's going to be dangerous, but someone has to do it." The blue eyed girl chuckled weakly, "Promise I'll be back…don't, don't worry." She said to her sister and walked up to the group, her hand drifting along the bark as long as she could, "Sorry 'bout that." She muttered, but Chiron just nodded in understanding.**

 **The trainer was waiting for them in his customary wheelchair; next to him stood the surfer dude both black haired children had seen while they were recovering in the sick room. According to Grover, the guy was the camp's head of security. He supposedly had eyes all over his body so he could never be surprised. Today, though, he was wearing a chauffeur's uniform, so they could only see extra peepers on his hands, face and neck.**

"He looks pretty good dressed up like that," Hera said with a small smile at her loyal creation.

Aphrodite gave her a look. "He has _eyes_ all over his body."

"Really? You checked everywhere?" Artemis asked with a smirk.

"Yes and-Oh, you're disgusting."

"Says the harlot."

 **"This is Argus," Chiron told the two children of the Big Three. "He will drive you into the city, and, er, well, keep an eye on things."**

 **The group was about to leave when they heard footsteps behind them.**

 **Luke came running up the hill, carrying a pair of basketball shoes.**

 **"Hey!" He panted. "Glad I caught you."**

 **Annabeth blushed, the way she always did when Luke was around. Andi snickered, getting an embarrassed glare from the child of wisdom, but the short girl just smiled back with mirth dancing in those blue eyes of hers.**

"Shame about his whole wanting to doom us all plan," Leo said nonchalantly.

Thalia glowered at him. "We've been making these jokes for a while now, can we stop?"

"They'll never really get old," Percy said. "Besides, he redeemed himself."

"Ehh..." Some of the younger Olympians gave iffy hand gestures in disagreement.

 **"Just wanted to say good luck," Luke told them. "And I thought ... um, maybe you could use these."**

 **He handed Percy the sneakers, which looked pretty normal. They even smelled kind of normal to the boy, if him sniffing them and not reacting was any indication. What made him do that though was something Andi didn't want to know.**

 **Noticing the skeptical the shoes were getting, Luke just smirked.**

 **"Maia!"**

"That reminds me, I need to get back to her on our tea time," Rhea said thoughtfully.

"...Y-You have tea with her?" Hera asked, greatly annoyed by this.

"Oh, yes. She's a lovely woman, Hera."

"Yeah, Ma's cool like that." Hermes nodded.

 **White bird's wings sprouted out of the heels, startling Percy so much, he dropped them. The shoes flapped around on the ground until the wings folded up and disappeared.**

 **"Awesome!" Grover exclaimed.**

 **Luke smiled. "Those served me well when I was on my quest. A gift from Dad. Of course, I don't use them much these days..." His expression turned sad.**

 **Percy looked shocked at the gift and seemed a tad embarrassed at getting it. "Hey, man, thanks." He meant it, Luke's expression told of how much he valued those shoes.**

 **"Listen, Percy ..." Luke looked distinctly uncomfortable with this, shuffling his foot nervously. "A lot of hopes are riding on you. So just...kill some monsters for me, okay?"**

 **They shook hands.**

"And the pact of doom was made." Ares chuckled darkly.

"Which of us was mind controlled, again?"

"Screw you, Owl Head!"

 **As he turned to Andi, he had this pained look in his eyes, the one he always seemed to have when he looked at her Percy noted. It was like he was seeing someone else. "Good luck out there, Tha- squirt" He said, trying to smile at her to cover his mistake.**

 **This wasn't the first time Luke had mistaken her for her sister. Since she had come to camp he'd done it quite often, he'd got better with it over time but when he was emotional, he often slipped up. Andi would have gotten mad at him about it because she hated being seen as someone other than herself, and she normally did when he slipped up, shouting at him about it. Today, however, she was going to give him a break, he was worried about her after all.**

"Mentally scarred, I'm sure," Athena said.

"Thanks, that makes it all so much better." Hermes mumbled.

 **"Thanks Luke." Andi just beamed a smile at the older teen. The smile didn't seem to do much for Luke as he seemed to just ignore it and move on to pat Grover's head between his horns, and then give a goodbye hug to Annabeth. The last of which left the blonde looking like she might pass out.**

 **After Luke was gone, Percy told her, "You're hyperventilating."**

 **"Am not." Annabeth argued weakly.**

 **"You planned for him to capture the flag instead of you, didn't you? But Andi just got it first."**

 **"Oh ... why do I want to go anywhere with you, Percy?" Annabeth huffed with anger as she stomped down the other side of the hill, where a white SUV waited on the shoulder of the road. Argus followed, jingling his car keys.**

"No chance, no way, she won't say it no-no." Leo, Frank and Piper sang together.

"The three of you can go to Tartarus for all I care!" Annabeth hissed with pink cheeks.

 **Percy picked up the flying shoes and suddenly had a bad feeling. He looked at Chiron. "I won't be able to use these, will I?"**

 **He shook his head. "Luke meant well, Percy. But taking to the air ... that would not be wise for you."**

 **Percy nodded, disappointed. Andi could use them, but she didn't need to, she could just fly with her wind powers. Then he got an idea. "Hey, Grover. You want a magic item?"**

 **The satyr's eyes lit up. "Me?"**

 **Pretty soon they'd laced the sneakers over his fake feet, and the world's first flying goat boy was ready for launch.**

 **"Maia!"**

 **He got off the ground okay, but then fell over sideways so his backpack dragged through the grass. The winged shoes kept bucking up and down like tiny bulls at a rodeo; unfortunately, since Grover was still attached, it meant that he got bonked on the head a few times as he tried, in vain, to control them.**

 **"Practice," Chiron called after him. "You just need practice!"**

 **"Aaaaa!" Grover went flying sideways down the hill like a goat possessed, heading toward the van.**

"And I found my new screen saver." Apollo smiled and lowered his phone. "Not bad for my first gif."

 **Before the two could follow, Chiron halted them. "I should have trained you both better," he said. "If only I had more time. Hercules, Jason**

"I never met him before." Jason mused.

"The first Jason," Hera said.

"Ohh, right." Jason nodded. "That makes sense."

 **-they all got more training."**

 **"That's okay. I just wish-"**

 **Percy stopped himself because he was about to sound like a brat. He just wished his dad had given him a cool magic item to help on the quest, something as good as Luke's flying shoes, or Annabeth's invisible cap, or that knife and cloak that Andi had.**

 **"What am I thinking?" Chiron cried before bending over to the side of the wheelchair to rummage through the sling bag that hung from one of the handles. "I can't let you leave without this."**

 **He pulled pen out from...whatever was in that bag, and handed it to the boy. It was an ordinary disposable ballpoint, black ink, removable cap. Probably cost thirty cents.**

 **"Gee," Percy said dryly. "Thanks."**

 **"Percy, that's a gift from your father. I've kept it for years, not knowing you were who I was waiting for. But the prophecy is clear to me now. You are the one."**

 **The boy remembered the field trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, when he'd vaporized Mrs. Dodds. Chiron had thrown him a pen that turned into a sword. Could this be...?**

 **Andi looked surprised as he took off the cap and half a second later, he held a shimmering bronze sword with a double-edged blade, a leather-wrapped grip, and a flat hilt riveted with gold studs.**

"Best. Sword. Ever." Percy smirked victoriously.

"Eh, I beg to differ." Hermes, Ares, Piper and Nico shrugged in disagreement.

 **"The sword has a long and tragic history that we need not go into," Chiron told him. "Its name is Anaklusmos."**

 **"'Riptide,'" Percy translated, surprised the Ancient Greek came so easily.**

 **"Use it only for emergencies," Chiron said, "and only against monsters. No hero should harm mortals, unless absolutely necessary of course, but this sword wouldn't harm them in any case."**

 **Both children looked at the sharp blade. "What do you mean it wouldn't harm mortals? How could it not?" The boy asked in disbelief, Andi looking somewhat skeptical.**

"It's magic. Duh." Leo drawled.

"I was still wrapping my mind around it. Sue me!" Percy grumbled.

 **"The sword is celestial bronze. Forged by the Cyclopes, tempered in the heart of Mount Etna, cooled in the River Lethe. It's deadly to monsters, to any creature from the Underworld, provided they don't kill you first. But the blade will pass through mortals like an illusion. They simply are not important enough for the blade to kill. And I should warn you: as a demigod, you can be killed by either celestial or normal weapons. You are twice as vulnerable."**

 **"Good to know."**

 **"Now recap the pen."**

 **The green eyed boy touched the pen cap to the sword tip and instantly Riptide shrank to a ballpoint pen again. He tucked it in his pocket, looking a tad nervous,** _ **What if I lose it?**_

 **"You can't," Chiron said knowingly if that smile was anything to go by.**

 **"Can't what?"**

 **"Lose the pen," The trainer said. "It is enchanted. It will always reappear in your pocket. Try it."**

 **Percy looked wary, but threw the pen as far as he could down the hill and watched it disappear in the grass.**

 **"It may take a few moments," Chiron told him. "Now check your pocket."**

 **Sure enough, the pen was there.**

"Best. Sword. Ever." Percy reiterated with a smug smirk.

"And a decent pen." Annabeth mused.

"Wait, it works as a pen?" Leo asked.

"It is a pen. But it's a sword first."

"...I'm starting to believe him when he says best sword ever." Leo muttered.

 **"Okay, that's extremely cool," Percy admitted with a smile. "But what if a mortal sees me pulling out a sword?"**

 **Chiron smiled. "Mist is a powerful thing, Percy."**

 **"Mist?"**

 **"It's the veil that Hecate controls Percy," Andi spoke suddenly, breaking her uncharacteristically long silence; looking somewhat upset at his weapon. Probably wishing she got one from her dad too, "It keeps mortals from seeing gods and monsters. Since we're half-bloods, we see just fine after a few blinks, and I'd wager since the blade has 'celestial' in its name, mortals can't see it either?" she asked Chiron, who nodded with a pleased look in his eye.**

"It's very stingy on who can and can't see it." Poseidon smirked.

 **Percy nodded in understanding too while putting Riptide back in his pocket.**

 **Chiron seemed to have noticed Andi's sullen look and smirked at her, "Now now Andi, don't think I have forgotten you." He said, reaching into his pocket, pulling out a keychain with a belt clip on it.**

 **The keychain itself was silver and seemed to look like a nocked bow, but instead of an arrow, there was a sword drawn in it.**

 **"This is Orízonta." He said.**

 **"Skyline." Andi said, her turn to translate her hopefully cool weapon's name.**

 **He handed it to Andi and as soon as she clasped it in her left hand, it turned into a bow.**

 **It was truly a work of art: at about three feet tall, it was made of white oak, and its leather grip fit perfectly into Andi's palm. Several leafy vines swirled around the wood, glowing a faint blue, though, it didn't seem to have a bowstring. Noticing it, Andi voiced her question to Chiron.**

 **"Really?" the trainer asked, feigning ignorance, "Well, have you tried pulling it back?"**

 **Andi frowned at him and did so and then gasped. She narrowed her eyes while seeing something thin, very thin, "Is that…" she trailed off, unsure what to say.**

 **"Wind rope? Yes." Chiron nodded, "Razor thin I might add." He said while showing his index and middle finger that had two papercut lines running across them, "After our talk about the quest, this little trinket was on my desk. Compliments of your father it seems." He said with a twinkle in his eye.**

"You just _can't_ be upstaged, can you?" Poseidon asked dryly.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Zeus huffed.

 **A tiny smile came upon her face as she looked over the bow, but blinked, wondering why it had a sword also on the keychain. In response to that thought, the bow collapsed forward, folding as it melded together while it grew a handle and flat hilt. The bow changed into a two foot dual sided leaf blade of celestial bronze, a Xiphos, if Andi remembered her weapons training correctly. The blade made up about a foot and a half of the two feet weapon, the handle making up the rest.**

 **"Well," Chiron blinked, "I wondered why it had a sword on it, but that seems to explain it." His voice held mild surprise and intrigue at the hybrid weapon.**

 **Andi swung it a bit, liking the length and grip, "Fits like a glove," she marveled, silently thanking her father. She gained a twinkle in her eye and gave Percy this smug look, wordlessly telling him that she got the cooler one.**

"Ehh, kinda girly," Ares said with a shrug. "Much as I hate to do it. I agree with Prissy, his sword's cooler."

"Kicked your butt."

"Screw you, Brat!"

 **Percy rolled his eyes, she could keep the bow. He was a terrible shot and she made fun of him for it anyway. So let her have her little bow/sword combo.**

 **"Though, if you lose it, you lose it. It's not enchanted to return to you like Riptide." Chiron noted mirthfully.**

 **It was Percy's turn to look smug as Andi pouted while her weapon shrank back into its keychain form and she clipped it to her belt loop on the left side of her denim shorts.**

 **"What about arrows?" Percy asked, he highly doubted Andi could just walk around with a quiver of arrows on her back through a metal detector, Mist or not.**

 **"Wind arrows." Chiron answered Percy's skepticism as Andi's face lit up with excitement.**

 **"The weapon shapes wind into arrows that I can fire, right Chiron?" Andi eagerly guessed.**

 **Chiron just nodded, pleased that his student had so easily guessed how her weapon worked.**

 **"I wonder if I can play around with how the arrows work. Chiron, what do ya think?" The ecstatic daughter of the skies mused.**

 **"Perhaps, though you would need practice before you tried anything like that." Chiron replied thoughtfully.**

 **Oh, so she could make infinite arrows and maybe have them do special stuff, that was cool. Percy felt his sword loss some shine to that tidbit.**

"It's a pen and a sword..." Percy mused. "Oh, yeah, and it goes back to my pocket."

"Infinite arrows." Thalia repeated.

"So? Infinite ammo in Call of Duty doesn't always guarantee victory, it just means you can afford to miss more," Leo said with a shrug. "Not to mention those 'cheats' are for players who have difficulty at some parts..."

Leo glanced at Jason, who pouted.

"Shut up, Leo."

"You suck at CoD dude, just accept it."

 **With that all said and done, it was time to go. The chilling feeling of, yes, this was really happening, had settled in. They were heading west with no adult supervision, no backup plan, not even a cell phone. (Chiron said cell phones were traceable by monsters; if we used one, it would be worse than sending up a flare.) And all they had were their weapons that could fight off those from the land of the dead.**

 **"Hey, um, Chiron, what about my magic?" Andi asked with a shuffle of her feet, "I mean, I can get why I can use it here, but I know I can't use it with mortals around, right? I'd get the Trace thing going gaga over me." She stated.**

 **Chiron chuckled, "Oh, yes, that silly little mortal spell. Well, I'll have you know that the Trace does not work on half-bloods by Lady Hecate's decree; the mortals just think it does though. Thus you can use magic far more freely. Honestly, trying to Trace demigods, what will mortals try next." He muttered to himself, shaking his head in humor.**

"Quite a lot of things, to be honest." Apollo chuckled.

 **Andi blinked owlishly at the news, she could use flipping magic the whole damn time?! Well, there was only one thing she could do now that she knew this: abuse the ever loving crap out of it.**

 **It just seemed like the right thing to do.**

"It is the right thing to do." Hermes nodded.

"Hardly," Athena said with a scoff.

"Bah, you're a stuck up."

 **"Chiron ..." Percy turned to face the immortal trainer, his turn to ask a question it seemed. "When you say the gods are immortal... I mean, there was a time before them, right?"**

 **"Four ages before them, actually. The Time of the Titans was the Fourth Age, sometimes called the Golden Age, which is definitely a misnomer. This, the time of Western civilization and the rule of Zeus, is the Fifth Age."**

 **"So what was it like...before the gods?"**

 **Chiron pursed his lips. "Even I am not old enough to remember that, child, but I know it was a time of darkness and savagery for mortals.**

"Basically, caveman years," Ares said with a grin.

"Something you brought back in your finite wisdom." Athena drawled.

 **Kronos, the lord of the Titans, called his reign the Golden Age because men lived innocent and free of all knowledge. But that was mere propaganda. The Titan king cared nothing for your kind except as appetizers or a source of cheap entertainment. It was only in the early reign of Lord Zeus, when Prometheus the good Titan**

"Debatable." Percy grumbled.

"He was just scared, Percy, do try to forgive him." Hestia chided her nephew.

"I'm with Poseidon's son on this, sister." Zeus rumbled. "Prometheus acted foolishly."

 **brought fire to mankind, that your species began to progress, and even then Prometheus was branded a radical thinker. Zeus punished him severely, as you may recall. Of course, eventually the gods warmed to humans, and Western civilization was born."**

 **"But the gods can't die now, right? I mean, as long as Western civilization is alive, they're alive. So...even if we failed…" Percy trailed off pointedly, looking for a way to reassure himself.**

 **"Which we won't." Andi added pointedly, frowning at the negative assumption.**

 **"Nothing could happen so bad it would mess up everything, right?" Percy continued after his interruption.**

"...Wow, way to completely show faith in your abilities, Percy," Hazel said.

"I. Was. _Twelve_!" Percy groaned.

 **Chiron gave him a melancholy smile. "No one knows how long the Age of the West will last, Percy. The gods are immortal, yes. But then, so were the Titans. They still exist, locked away in their various prisons, forced to endure endless pain and punishment, reduced in power, but still very much alive. May the Fates forbid that the gods should ever suffer such a doom, or that we should ever return to the darkness and chaos of the past. All we can do, child, is follow our destiny."**

 **"Our destiny...assuming we know what that is." Percy said quietly. Andi was sharing the same thought, but still didn't like the fact that her life was being dictated by an outside force.**

"Yeah, not going to lie, I'm no fan of that either...which is why I cheated death." Leo smirked.

"Best to not brag about it, Leo Valdez. I have Thanatos on speed dial." Hades drawled.

"...Er, yeah, right. Heh..."

 **"Relax," Chiron told him. "Keep a clear head you two. And remember, you may be the ones about to prevent the biggest war in human history."**

 **"Relax," Percy exhaled breathily. "I'm very relaxed."**

 **"You're stiffer than a two by four, mate."**

"Must be wearing some tight pants if she can see something that small."

"Oh, Ares, silly goose, it's not that small. It's above average."

"MOM!" Piper shrieked while the demigods turned bright red, or in Leo's case, laughed hysterically.

"What? Annabeth should be aware by now-"

"Aphrodite, they're children!" Rhea chided.

"They're teenagers!"

"They're children to us!"

"Oh, Rhea, stop being so stuffy and let loose a little bit."

"If anything, you should tighten up," Artemis said with a sneer. "You're the only loose one here."

"I'll have you know that I'm comfortable in every form! A perfect match for whomever I lay with!" Aphrodite huffed.

"Mom, seriously!" Piper groaned, her face growing greener with each passing second while the rest of the demigods became redder.

Leo wrapped his arms around his sides and fell out of the couch, still laughing.

"It's not funny, Leo!"

"I-I-It is!"

"Annabeth, read. Just read! Read _now_." Percy groaned.

 **Andi snarked, getting a mild glare from her sea-spawn cousin. But with a punch to his shoulder, she set off down the hill after the rest of their group.**

 **When Percy got to the bottom of the hill, he looked back. Under the pine tree that used to be Thalia, Andi's older sister, Chiron was now standing in full horse-man form, holding his bow high in salute. Just your typical summer-camp send-off by your typical centaur.**

"Meh, seen better," Apollo criticized. He, Hermes, Ares, Dionysus, Athena, Hephaestus and the original six children of Rhea were among the few Olympians that were still listening to the story with the demigods, while the arguing Goddesses were muted by Hades' manipulation of shadows.

 **Argus drove them out of the countryside and into western Long Island. It felt weird to be on a highway again, Annabeth and Grover sitting next to him as if they were a normal carpool, while Andi was riding shotgun after winning a two out of three match of rock-paper-scissors. After two weeks at Half-Blood Hill, the real world seemed like a fantasy.**

 **Percy was staring out the window while Andi was reading some magazine that had apparently been left in the van, and quiet seemed to set in.**

 **"So far so good," Percy told Annabeth, breaking the silence. "Ten miles and not a single monster."**

 **She gave him an irritated look. "It's bad luck to talk that way, seaweed brain."**

"Tyche hates me." Percy groaned.

"More like she's not your number one fan," Hermes hedged.

 **"Here, here, you would not believe the ways I've jinxed myself with that kind of thinking." Andi chirped from the front.**

 **"Remind me again, why do you hate me so much?" Percy asked Annabeth with a small sigh.**

 **"I don't hate you."**

 **"Could've fooled me."**

 **She folded her cap of invisibility. "Look ... we're just not supposed to get along, okay? Our parents are rivals."**

"Funny how that stayed the same."

"Shut up, Seaweed Brain, before I judo flip you again."

"You know my price for that, Wise Girl."

 **"And that should be the same with me and Andi, yet, we seem to get along okay. But why us?" He asked with a quirked brow.**

 **She sighed. "How many reasons do you want? One time my mom caught Poseidon with his girlfriend in Athena's temple, which is hugely disrespectful. Another time, Athena and Poseidon competed to be the patron god for the city of Athens. Your dad created some stupid saltwater spring for his gift. My mom created the olive tree. The people saw that her gift was better, so they named the city after her."**

 **"They must really like olives." He concluded**

"Especially on their pizza." Percy nodded.

Poseidon glowered at his son and then glared at his smirking rival.

That meant nothing!

 **"Oh, forget it."**

 **"Now, if she'd invented pizza, that I could understand." He grinned at the blonde.**

 **"I said, forget it!"**

 **"Hey! Stop griping at one another, we don't need the tension." Andi scowled at them as she turned from her seat to face them. Seeing that the two of them had descended into something of a cold war, she just sighed and faced forward and returned to her magazine.**

"Ah, the Cold War...now that was a tease..." Ares grumbled sourly.

"We got the Red Scare, though. That was pretty funny," Hermes said with a smirk.

"Your worst prank yet," Zeus said sourly. "I still have half a mind to punish you for it."

"Apollo didn't stop Octavian!"

"Dude, why you gotta break balls!?"

 **In the front seat, Argus smiled. He didn't say anything, but one blue eye on the back of his neck winked at the boy.**

 **Traffic slowed them down in Queens. By the time they got into Manhattan it was sunset and starting to rain.**

 **Argus dropped them at the Greyhound Station on the Upper East Side, not far from Percy's mom and Gabe's apartment. Taped to a mailbox was a soggy flyer with his picture on it: HAVE YOU SEEN THIS BOY?**

 **Percy ripped it down before the others could notice and read it as fast as he could before he threw it away with an angry look on his face.**

 **Argus unloaded their bags, and made sure they got their bus tickets, then drove away, the eye on the back of his hand opening to watch us as he pulled out of the parking lot.**

 **Percy had this look of longing on his face as Grover chatted with him about something. Andi wasn't really listening as she was talking to Annabeth.**

 **"Really, play nice with water boy, Bethy." She told the blonde.**

"Yeah, Annie. Make kissy faces at your boyfriend."

"Thalia, shut up."

 **Annabeth sighed, "I know, I know, geez." She huffed at the new name that her shorter friend had come up with, "It's just, I don't know, it's this thing in my gut I guess." She admitted to Andi.**

 **"Well, I get that too; even I sometimes feel this gnawing tension with him. Sure he does too with me, but we work around it. We ain't our parents Annabeth; leave their squabbles with them, none of our business I say." the daughter of Zeus said, brushing her bangs with her fingers.**

 **"Nice policy."**

"Too bad it doesn't adhere to us," Ares said with a smirk. "You're our toys."

"Ares! That's a terrible thing to say!" Rhea chided the war god.

"True though," Apollo muttered sourly. It was bitter agreement, but one that had to be made.

 **"I do what I must." Spoke Andi with a dramatic sigh.**

 **The rain kept coming down.**

 **They got restless waiting for the bus and decided to play some Hacky Sack with one of Grover's apples. Annabeth was unbelievable. She could bounce the apple off her knee, her elbow, her shoulder, whatever. Percy wasn't too bad himself. Now, Andi, well, she never really played before and was struggling a bit, but the sky child still got a few good shots in.**

 **The game ended when Percy tossed the apple toward Grover and it got too close to his mouth. In one huge bite, their Hacky Sack disappeared into the belly of the furry footed boy.**

 **Grover blushed. He tried to apologize, but the demigods were too busy cracking up.**

"Glutton." Thalia joked with a smile.

"Lord of the Wilds and devourer of hacky sacks." Percy chuckled. Good ol' Grover.

 **Finally the bus came. As they stood in line to board, Grover started looking around, sniffing the air like a bloodhound.**

 **"What is it?" Percy asked.**

 **"I don't know," he said tensely. "Maybe it's nothing."**

 **"Let's keep our guard up guys." Andi spoke, looking around with narrowed eyes, Annabeth already doing so as Percy started looking over his shoulders every few seconds. All of them tense.**

"Loosen up, makes entry a lot easier."

"ARES!"

"What? You don't look as suspicious. Geez."

 **A sigh of relief was heard when they finally got on board and found seats together in the back of the bus. Annabeth, Percy and Grover stowed their backpacks while Andi held her bag on her lap. Annabeth kept slapping her Yankees cap nervously against her thigh.**

 **As the last passengers got on, Annabeth clamped her hand onto the sea child's knee. "Percy." She said in a tight whisper.**

 **An old lady had just boarded the bus. She wore a crumpled velvet dress, lace gloves, and a shapeless orange-knit hat that shadowed her face, and she carried a big paisley purse. When she tilted her head up, her black eyes glittered, something which Andi noticed caused Percy to flinch and withdraw into his seat.**

"Ms. Dodds." Percy smirked. "Nanny extraordinaire."

"...Nico, would you like a Nanny?" Hades asked, amused by the thought.

"Er, no thanks, Dad."

 **Behind her came two more old ladies: one in a green hat, one in a purple hat. They looked like demonic triplets in Andi's opinion.**

 **They sat in the front row, right behind the driver. The two on the aisle crossed their legs over the walkway, making an X. It was casual enough, but it sent a clear message: nobody leaves.**

 **The bus pulled out of the station, and they headed through the bustling streets of Manhattan. "Ms. Dodds didn't stay dead long," Percy said in a shaky tone. "I thought you said they could be dispelled for a lifetime." He looked towards Annabeth with a look.**

 **"I said if you're lucky," Annabeth said. "You're obviously not."**

"Tyche _hates_ you. Like, hard core despises you!" Leo chuckled.

"I know." Percy sighed, his head hung.

 **"I never really was." Andi added as she glared at the old ladies, anger rising at just seeing them.**

 **"All three of them," Grover whimpered. "Di immortales!"**

 **"It's okay," Annabeth said, obviously thinking in overdrive. "The Furies. The three worst monsters from the Underworld. No problem. No problem. We'll just slip out the windows."**

"Panicking?" Piper asked, surprised.

"Wouldn't you if you were twelve and facing the Furies?" Annabeth shot back.

"...Yeah."

 **"They don't open," Grover moaned.**

 **"A back exit?"**

 **There wasn't one. And even if they did get out, they'd be trapped in the oncoming tunnel.**

 **"They won't attack us with witnesses around," Percy said. "Will they?"**

 **"There's the Mist Percy, it'll keep the mortals from noticing anything wrong. We sometimes get the shorter end of it at the worst possible time." Andi frowned, her hand rummaging in her bag as she looped it over her shoulder.**

 **"Mortals don't have good eyes," Annabeth added. "Their brains can only process what they see through the Mist." She turned to Andi, "But you can manipulate it, right?" she asked urgently.**

 **Andi grimaced, her brow knitted, "If it was one or maybe even two people, it would be easy, if a little tricky with two, but all these people? I've got about two weeks of training with it, Bethy. So unless I do it to them in groups, I doubt we could play on that angle." She stated, getting the daughter of wisdom to silently curse.**

 **"They'll see three old ladies killing us, won't they?" Percy suggested**

"Tonight! Three homicidal maniacs escaped from elderly care in New York, four teens dead and a bus load of witnesses allowed them to escape. But first, cookies! And how they'll ruin your digestive tract. We go to Hermes for more on the story. Herm?" Apollo, dressed up like a news anchor, looked at the snickering god of travellers.

 **Annabeth thought about it. "Hard to say. But we can't count on mortals for help. Maybe an emergency exit in the roof-"**

 **Darkness abruptly blanketed them, cutting off Annabeth's question; they'd hit the Lincoln Tunnel, and the bus went dark except for the running lights down the aisle. It was dead quiet without the rain.**

 **The Fury with the orange** _ **thing**_ **Andi figured was a hat got up and declared she needed to use bathroom in such a fake tone that Andi honestly wondered how the mortals failed to notice something was going on.**

"Mortals. Are. Dumb." The Olympians repeated slowly and in sync.

It was the one and only thing they all agreed on.

 **"So do I," said the second sister.**

 **"So do I," said the third sister.**

 **They all started coming down the aisle.**

 **"I've got it," Annabeth said. "Percy, take my hat, Andi, get your cloak o-Andi? Andi?" she said looking around, but the short girl was gone.**

 **"She ditched us." Grover said in disbelief.**

"Wow, such a loyal Gryffindor, isn't she?"

"Shut up, Hades."

 **" Of course not," Annabeth replied. "At least…I'm pretty sure she didn't." She weakly admitted. She turned back to Percy, "Come on, take it." She said to him.**

 **"What?"**

 **"You're one of the two they want. Turn invisible and go up the aisle. Let them pass you. Maybe you can get to the front and get away."**

 **"But you guys-"**

 **"There's an outside chance they might not notice us," Annabeth said. "You're a son of one of the Big Three. Your smell might be overpowering. Along with Andi's scent, this could work."**

 **"I can't just leave you." Percy argued sternly, like Andi, he thought bitterly. The ghostly voice of the Oracle rearing its head, but he snuffed it out.**

 **"Don't worry about us," Grover said. "Go!"**

 **Percy took the hat shakily and put it on.**

 **He marveled at not being able to see his body for a moment before composing himself and began to creep up the aisle. He got up about ten seats before he had to duck into an empty seat as the Furies passed him.**

 **Mrs. Dodds stopped, sniffing, and looked straight at him. His heart was pounding rapidly. Apparently she didn't see anything. She and her sisters kept going.**

"To the toilet." Apollo chuckled. "Nanny's gotta go."

"Be afraid." Hades smirked. Even he wasn't so cruel as to make someone suffer through the odor of the Furies' waste.

...Actually, there was that poor sap that tried to do something to one of his daughters back in the seventeenth century...

 **He was free. The green eyed son of the sea made it to the front of the bus. They were almost through the Lincoln Tunnel now. He was about to press the emergency stop button when he heard hideous wailing from the back row.**

 **The old ladies were not old ladies anymore. Their faces were still the same-He guessed that those couldn't get any uglier- but their bodies had shriveled into leathery brown hag bodies with bat's wings and hands and feet like gargoyle claws. Their handbags had turned into fiery whips.**

 **The Furies surrounded Grover and Annabeth, lashing their whips, hissing: "Where is it? Where?"**

 **The other people on the bus were screaming, cowering in their seats. They saw something, all right.**

 **"They aren't here!" Annabeth yelled. "They're gone!"**

"...That's not what they asked." Percy noted.

Annabeth gaped. "No...Di immortales...I could've figured it out sooner if I noticed that..."

"Don't you mean, 'we'?"

"You're right, Grover would've probably helped."

"...That's mean, Wise Girl. Real mean."

 **The Furies raised their whips.**

 **Annabeth drew her bronze knife. Grover grabbed a tin can from his snack bag and prepared to throw it.**

 **What Percy did next was so impulsive and dangerous he should've been named ADHD poster child of the year.**

"Still am. Proud of it too." Percy smirked.

 **The bus driver was distracted; trying to see what was going on in his rearview mirror.**

 **Still invisible, the sea child grabbed the wheel from him and jerked it to the left. Everybody howled as they were thrown to the right, and he heard what was hopefully the sound of three Furies smashing against the windows.**

 **"Dammit Percy!"Andi's shout rang out through the chaos. He turned briefly to see that she had her knife in hand, her invisibility cloak barely covering her, right behind the Furies and rolling on the ground from his actions. She looked like she had been about to kill them from under the cover of her invisibility cloak while the monsters thought they had the advantage on Annabeth and Grover.**

"Nice going, Kelp Head."

"Shut up, Thalia."

 **One of the Furies was wailing in pain, the purple hatted one, her left leg was limp and oozing green and purple. No doubt the poison of Andi's knife.**

 **Oops.**

 **"Hey!" the driver yelled. "Hey-whoa!"**

 **They wrestled for the wheel. The bus slammed against the side of the tunnel, grinding metal, throwing sparks a mile behind them.**

 **They shot out of the Lincoln Tunnel and back into the rainstorm, all the while people and monsters were tossed around the bus, and outside cars were plowed aside like bowling pins.**

 **Somehow the driver found an exit, shooting off the highway, through half a dozen traffic lights. They ended up flying down one of those New Jersey rural roads where you can't believe there's so much nothing right across the river from New York. There were woods to their left, the Hudson River to their right, and the driver seemed to be veering toward the river.**

 **Another great idea: Percy hit the emergency brake.**

"The boy's a genius. When can we expect the Nobel?"

"And yours would've done better, Hades?" Poseidon asked.

The Lord of the Underworld pursed his lips, considering the argument.

 **The bus screeching, spun a full circle on the wet asphalt, and crashed into the trees. The emergency lights came on. The door flew open. The bus driver was the first one out, the passengers yelling as they stampeded after him. He stepped into the driver's seat and let them pass.**

 **The Furies regained their balance. They lashed their whips at Annabeth while she waved her knife and yelled in Ancient Greek, telling them to back off. Grover threw tin cans. The wounded one went to strike Andi, who ducked under the swipe and lashed out with her sword, which sprung from her clipped keychain.**

 **Air screeched from the blade and cut the hand her opponent was holding its fiery weapon with clean off. That was not all though, as the wind blade, for that was what it must have been, had also cut into the bus itself leaving a gouge that neatly cut through the upholstery of seats as well as the metal of both seats and even the bus' chassis.**

 **"Eat this you wannabe harpy!" The daughter of Zeus yelled as a warcry as she charged the reeling Fury and rolled under a last minute slash of the claws on its remaining hand, plunging her dagger right into the throat of the beast, reducing it to gold dust.**

"Ooh, fatality. Nice." Ares complimented with a grin.

 **Percy looked at the open doorway. He was free to go, but he couldn't leave his friends. Percy took off the invisible cap. "Hey!"**

 **The two remaining Furies turned, baring their yellow fangs at him,**

"They should brush more." Apollo noted.

 **and the exit suddenly seemed like an excellent idea. Andi grabbed her cloak as she tossed it to Grover, who barely caught it in surprise.**

 **The blue eyed girl speedily backpedalled away from the monsters, and stopped right in front of Percy, slightly crouched.**

 **The orange hatted one stalked up the aisle, occasionally she flicked her whip to and fro, melting through rows of seats as red flames danced along the barbed leather.**

 **Her ugly sister hopped on top of the left rows of seats and crawled toward him and Andi like some demented lizard, her arms and legs akimbo at awkward angles.**

 **"Perseus Jackson, Andromeda Potter," Mrs. Dodds said, in a heavy accent. "You have offended the gods. You shall die."**

"Honestly, the gas you passed was just that bad!"

"Worthy of death by Fury if they're anything like their fathers." Hades nodded with a chuckle.

 **"I liked you better as a math teacher," Percy told her.**

 **"Get bent," Andi spat back with venom.**

 **The she-devil growled at them.**

 **Annabeth and Grover moved up behind the Furies cautiously, looking for an opening.**

 **Percy drew his ballpoint pen out of his pocket and uncapped it. Riptide elongated into a shimmering double-edged sword.**

 **The Furies hesitated.**

 **Mrs. Dodds had felt Riptide's blade before. She obviously didn't like seeing it again.**

"Fury repellent. Another reason Riptide is awesome." Percy buffed his nails on his chest.

 **"Submit now," she hissed. "And you will not suffer eternal torment."**

"Don't believe it! That's not a trusting face!" Hermes declared.

 **"Nice try," the sea child told her as the air swirled around Andi's tiny frame.**

 **"Guys, look out!" Annabeth cried, Andi ducked instinctively at that, Percy wasn't that quick.**

 **Mrs. Dodds lashed her whip around his sword hand while the other Fury lunged at him.**

 **Percy hissed in pain, his wrist felt on fire but he managed to not drop Riptide. Andi sliced the whip clean through, getting Mrs. Dodds to stumble back. The one coming on the left lunged at him, but he swung his blade. As soon as the blade connected with her neck, she screamed and exploded into dust.**

 **Annabeth got Mrs. Dodds in a wrestler's hold and yanked her backward while Grover ripped the remains of the whip out of her hands.**

 **"Ow!" he yelled. "Ow! Hot! Hot!"**

 **Mrs. Dodds was trying to get Annabeth off her back. She kicked, clawed, hissed and bit, but Annabeth held on while Grover got Mrs. Dodds' legs tied up in her own whip. Finally they both shoved her backward into the aisle. Mrs. Dodds tried to get up, but she didn't have room to flap her bat wings, so she kept falling down.**

 **"Zeus will destroy you!" She promised him. "Hades will have your souls!" she said to them both.**

"Not for a while...and unlikely..." Hades grumbled.

 **"Braccas meas vescimini!" Percy yelled.**

 **Now, he wasn't sure where the Latin came from. He wasn't entirely sure what he'd said but he thought it was something like: "Eat my pants!"**

"Shorts, Percy, it's eat my shorts." Apollo corrected him.

"Honestly, Kelp Head. At least get the quote right." Thalia snorted.

"Sorry for not being ancient." Percy mumbled.

Thalia glared at him while Apollo nodded in understanding. "As you should be."

 **Andi just gave him this look of disbelief. Seems he did say something stupid.**

 **Andi released a blast of air, knocking back the Fury who had finally clawed her way upright, while changing her dagger back to its ring form.**

 **Thunder shook the bus as the hair rose on the back of the ocean child's neck.**

 **"Get out!" Annabeth yelled at them. "Now!"**

 **They didn't need any encouragement; rushing outside they found the other passengers wandering around in a daze, arguing with the driver, or running around in circles yelling, "We're going to die!" A Hawaiian-shirted tourist with a camera snapped Percy's photograph before he could recap the sword or Andi could change hers.**

 **"Our bags!" Grover realized. "We left our-"**

 **BOOOOOM!**

"...Oh, crap." Zeus grimaced as Rhea turned to him, fury blazing in her eyes.

"You tried to blow up your nephew... _and_ your own daughter!?"

"Mother, I didn't-!"

"To your room, and don't come out for three chapters!"

"Mother!"

"Did I stutter!?"

Zeus grimaced and disappeared into a bolt of lightning that zapped over to the door behind the screen.

Rhea crossed her arms and huffed. She glared at her other two sons when they snickered. "Don't think I'll let you two off that easily!"

Hades and Poseidon quickly clammed up, lest they lost their own freedom.

 **The windows of the bus exploded as the passengers ran for cover. Lightning shredded a huge crater in the roof, and where the Fury last stood there was now nothing but a pile of gold dust.**

 **"Thanks Pops!" Andi cheered enthusiastically, grinning at the raining sky. "Not that I needed it, but thanks anyways."**

"...Oh...Well, he still could've done great harm. It isn't like he's the best at aiming." Rhea huffed.

"...I wonder where Zeus got most of his temper from." Jason wondered quietly.

"His father," Hera said quickly, interjecting before her mother registered what her champion had said.

 **"Run!" Annabeth said. "The cops will be here any minute, we can't let them hold us! We have to get out of here!"**

 **The others took Annabeth's words to heart and immediately ran into the woods. Andi though stayed behind for a moment.**

 **"That was for my sister you bint!" Andi spat, before following after her friends and clipping her bow, now back in its keychain form, to her shorts.**

 **As the rain poured down around them, the bus in flames behind them, and nothing but darkness ahead, the questers fled through the Jersey woods.**

"Watch out for the Jersey Devil and it's bride, the dreaded Snooki!" Apollo called.

"Here, Thalia, since you seem so eager." Annabeth plopped the book into her friend's lap.

"Oh...Goodie." Thalia drawled.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

 **The Ever Twisting Wind: The Lightning Thief**

 **Chapter Seven: We Get Stoned!**

"What an inappropriate time to do such recreational activities!" Apollo scolded Percy with a wag of his finger. "For shame, Percy Jackson, for shame!"

"Oh come on! It's legal in Colorado," Hermes said with a wave of his hands. "Besides, he's eaten seaweed."

"That's not the same thing, Hermes, and you know it."

 **It was nice, in some strange way, knowing that there were the Greek Gods somewhere out there; you had somebody to blame when things, inevitably, went wrong. For instance, when you're walking away from a bus that's just been attacked by monster hags and blown up by lightning, and it's raining on top of everything else, most people might think that's just really bad luck; when you're a half-blood, you understand that some divine force really is trying to mess up your day.**

 **So there they were: Andi, Annabeth, Grover and Percy, walking through the woods along the New Jersey riverbank. Andi was leading them through the dim, dark forest with her wand out, a ping pong ball sized, soft luminescent white light bobbing just off the tip. The soft pattering of rain against the leaves made for a calming soundtrack as the warm, auburn glow of New York City seeped past the tree cover as they slowly trudged away from it, the odor of the Hudson swirling around them.**

 **Grover was shivering and braying, his large, goat-like eyes were stretched as wide as they possibly could; he could have passed off as surprised, but his pupils, slitted in fear, betrayed how utterly petrified he was. "Three Kindly Ones. All three at once."**

"Such stamina, what an impressive goat."

"Mom. Seriously. Eww." Piper stuck her tongue out.

 **Percy was pretty much in shock himself. The explosion of bus windows still rung fresh in his ears. But Annabeth kept pulling them along, saying, "Come on! The farther away we get, the better."**

 **"All our money was back there," Percy reminded her. "Our food and clothes. Everything."**

 **It was then that Andi snapped and spun around, glaring at her cousin. "What. The. Hell!" She shouted at him, poking him with her free hand at each word. "Are you bloody mental?!" She screamed. Air, previously still and silent, started to moan ominously as it encircled her.**

"Yes." The demigods answered before Percy could.

"Ha! I knew it!" Dionysus smirked at Apollo. "You owe me two quests and three favors!"

"Damn." Apollo swore at the bet he lost.

 **"What?" Percy snapped, oblivious to Andi's rising temper, still getting his wits about him.**

 **"You heard me Jackson, I'm questioning your sanity." The girl gritted out with a scowl, "I had it under control. I was going to use invisibility to sneak behind them and kill one. Then in the surprise at losing one of their own; I could have taken down a second. That would've got the last one to turn to me, letting Annabeth and me go for a pincer. The dark tunnel was the perfect place to do it too, the dark would've helped to cover our kills, or I could have used the Mist on the mortals if that didn't work!" She huffed, throwing her arms in the air in a clear sign of her frustration.**

 **"Wait, you thought that up as soon as you saw them?" Annabeth asked curiously.**

 **"Duh." Andi drawled out, still in a snippy mood.**

 **The blonde gave Andi an impressed nod for the on-the-fly idea.**

"Still, should've said something. 'Cover me', or 'keep them busy'," Percy said under his breath. "Any warning really would've worked."

"You know what, he's got a point." Frank hummed.

"Thank you, Frank!"

 **Percy narrowed his eyes, and was about to rebut, but Andi cut him off before he could even breathe a word.**

 **"Instead we have the idiot of the year here crashing a bus through a tunnel and into who knows how many other people!" She glowered, air hissing around her form snapping at the spawn of the sea, echoing their mistress's fury. "You could have gotten us** _ **and**_ **the mortals killed you nimrod."**

 **"Well it didn't happen, did it!?" He shot back; he was** _ **not**_ **going to take this lying down.**

 **"This isn't a world for maybes!" Andi yelled, getting so close to his face their noses nearly touched. "You either know what the bloody hell you're doing or bumble around like a fool. And I am no fool Jackson."**

"But it's fun to be the fool!" Hermes protested.

"No, dude, not now." Apollo whispered as he put a hand on his brother's shoulder.

 **The black haired girl hissed at him, "how many of those mortals are hurt from your actions, you reckon, Percy? Hm?" Her voice had gone soft, but it dripped with venom.**

 **Percy winced at that, but recovered just as fast. "Okay, yeah, I messed up. At least I stayed around to try to help instead of just disappearing like you did! As if you abandoned us." He accused, throwing the blame desperately.**

"Percy Jackson," Rhea said with a frown aimed at her godson.

"Wh-She could've said something!" Percy protested. He shrunk under Rhea's glare. "Sorry, Grandma."

 **Andi just looked at him coolly, her electric blue eyes clouded over. "Don't accuse me of abandoning my friends, Jackson. That's something I would never do."**

 **"Yes, yes, act all cool. Like some grand lone wolf." Percy mocked, causing Andi to bristle, her stormy eyes all but slits; in her other hand, her wand twitched ever so slightly. "And I haven't mentioned anything about how your dad blew up all our stuff."**

 **"He was trying to help us."**

 **"By leaving us with almost nothing?" Percy replied in a patronizing voice. "Great help there!"**

 **"He killed the last Fury before it could finish calling for reinforcements!" Andi argued heatedly, wood creaked as winds arched and raced through the forest.**

"With the massive boom of doom." Poseidon scoffed.

"Poseidon." Rhea warned.

"Yes mother."

 **"And he couldn't do it with something that wouldn't destroy everything around it?" Percy continued, still in a patronizing voice. "He's real smart, huh?"**

 **Andi seethed, but reined her anger in, she didn't want to lose control of her powers. In a tight voice, she countered. "Well at least my father actually did something to help us. What did yours do?"**

"Oh, shit. Shots fired." Apollo gasped.

"That little, imputent-!" Poseidon grit his teeth. "Zeus would've thrown a shit fit if I tried anything so openly! He would've had Aeolus working decades of overtime to clean up afterwards!"

"It's true, he would've." Hera nodded.

 **Annabeth looked back and forth between them, wondering where all this was coming from. They got along good at camp, so this was just such a 180. She could only assume the influence of their parentage was rearing its head as a result of the building tension. Both their fathers were kings in their own rights, even if Poseidon nominally accepted Zeus' seniority. This was why there was such a rivalry between the two brothers, Poseidon chafed at Zeus' leadership and Zeus would not brook anything but unquestioning loyalty. The same was playing out here, Andi had inherited her Father's desire to lead just like Thalia had as she demonstrated by always leading them around before they made it to Camp, and just like his father, Percy was unwilling to fully accept someone else taking charge.**

"That's a very astute evaluation," Athena said dryly.

 **"You know, I think I know what your problem is?" Percy asked his cousin.**

 **"Oh? Enlighten me." The aerokinetic girl snapped.**

 **"Simple, your whining because I got this job, and you didn't, right? You want to be in charge all the time, the one that does all the great things. Annabeth set it up for Luke to get the flag, but no, you didn't like that, so you went for it instead. Come on, admit it." Percy goaded back.**

 **Andi gritted her teeth, "That doesn't matter." She brushed off quickly. Too quickly.**

"Oh, it's getting good." Ares grinned. He took a handful of the ambrosia popcorn and shoveled it into his mouth. Then pumped his fist. "Lesh shee shome blood!"

"Mouth closed, Ares." Rhea, Hera and Hestia chided absentmindedly.

 **Percy pounced, "Yes, it does." He shot back, smirking at her, which made his cousin growl at him.**

 **"Then tell us** _ **fearless leader**_ **," she mocked. "What's our next move, hm? What about food, money, transportation?" She pushed further. "Ideas?"**

 **Percy faltered, "Well-I," he stammered, "Oh, like you have answers! And let's not forget it was** _ **your**_ **dad which got us into this mess in the first place." He snapped back, throwing his arms in the air.**

 **Andi lifted her bag from her shoulder, "I've got cash, drachma, clothes, first-aid supplies, ambrosia and nectar, and a good feeling of what to do. What've you got?" Andi asked with a superior smirk.**

"...And the tides turn once more."

"Shut up, Valdez." Percy grumbled.

 **Percy was about to open his mouth before a new voice entered the argument with a shout of, "Enough!" Annabeth got between them, pushing them apart before they decided to brawl in the middle of the woods, "Okay, just, stop it already!" she glowered, looking them both in the eye with quick swivels of her head.**

 **Andi just gave Percy a frustrated look and huffed, before stomping away.**

 **Percy, just ran his hand through his messy black hair. Seriously, things were a mess right now, and as much as he hated to admit it, Andi made some good points. Also, he was kind of jealous of her; she seemed so sure of herself right now while he felt so lost. He felt like he was wading through an ocean of Jell-O, but she seemed to just take everything in stride. It was so frustrating, they started out the same, but she was a sponge, taking in everything that was thrown at her with ease, while he was, well, not spongy.**

 **Hell, he wasn't even in this for the glory, or because his dad needed help, or for the people that could be killed in this messed up glorified bitch fit between their fathers. He just wanted his mom back, that was all that really mattered to him.**

"Yes, to hell with the fate of the world! Peter Johnson just wants his mommy back." Dionysus snorted.

"Says the one who went to the Underworld to barter for his mother's life," Hades said coolly.

"...Th-that's different!" Dionysus sputtered.

"Sure it is."

 **Percy was still busy complaining about the situation when Andi lifted her wand once more, taking point once again.**

 **After a few minutes, Annabeth fell into line next to Percy. "Look, despite agreeing with Andi with your approach, and being upset that you actually thought that I needed help." She pointed out tersely, "I..." Her voice faltered. "I appreciate you coming back for us, okay? That was really brave."**

 **"We're a team, right?"**

 **She was silent for a few more steps. "It's just that if you died ... aside from the fact that it would really suck for you, it would mean the quest was over…or Andi would take over, so it would mainly suck for you. Oh! What I'm trying to say is, this may be my only chance to see the real world. So we can't afford screw ups, okay?"**

"Ah, budding romance, isn't it sweet?" Piper asked.

"Shut up, McLean." Annabeth grumbled.

 **The thunderstorm had finally let up. The city glow faded behind them, leaving them in almost total darkness besides Andi's lit wand, guiding them through the night like Rudolph.**

 **Percy could be offended by Annabeth's accusation that** _ **he**_ **was going to be the one to mess up the quest, but chose not to. He didn't want to get into another argument. Instead he asked, "You haven't left Camp Half-Blood since you were seven?"**

 **"No ... only short field trips. My dad-"**

 **"The history professor."**

 **"Yeah. It didn't work out for me living at home. I mean, Camp Half-Blood is my home." She was rushing her words out. "At camp you train and train. And that's all cool and everything, but the real world is where the monsters are. That's where you learn whether you're any good or not." She said, her voice wavering only the slightest.**

"Aw, bonding..."

"Piper, I swear I will shave you bald and make sure you stay that way."

 **"You're pretty good with that knife."**

 **"You think so?"**

 **"Anybody who can piggyback a Fury is okay by me." Percy grinned at her, getting to see a smile from the blonde in the wand light.**

 **"You know," she said, "maybe I should tell you ... Something funny back on the bus ..."**

 **Whatever she wanted to say was interrupted by a shrill toot-toot-toot, like the sound of an owl being tortured.**

 **"Hey, my reed pipes still work!" Grover cried. "If I could just remember a 'find path' song, we could get out of these woods!"**

 **He puffed out a few notes, but the tune still sounded suspiciously like Hilary Duff.**

 **"Point me." Andi said grumpily as she held her wand on the flat of her hand. It turned sharply to the right, "Okay, that's north." She said, using her wand and the point me spell as an improvised compass, "So west is that way." She looked ahead while pointing in the direction.**

 **"I love magic." Annabeth praised quietly as Percy nodded.**

"Traitors." Thalia grumbled with a mild glare aimed at the couple.

 **They walked in the glow of the warm magic light in silence for another mile or so, the crickets their only background music.**

 **They kept moving and about an hour after their break, they started to see a bright light, and not the one from Andi's wand, up ahead: the colors of a neon sign. They could smell food too. Fried, greasy, food.**

"All. American. Appetizers." Percy grinned.

"Only at Chili's." Leo added.

"Now I want some baby back ribs." Frank rubbed his stomach thoughtfully.

 **It was then that Andi realized she hadn't eaten anything unhealthy since she'd arrived at Half-Blood Hill, where they lived on grapes, bread, cheese, and extra-lean-cut nymph-prepared barbecue. She felt far better with that food then the hearty meals she had at Hogwarts. It now suddenly made sense why a lot of kids back at school were on the pudgy side of the spectrum. Looks like she was going to have to change her diet when she got back.**

 **They kept walking until they saw a deserted two-lane road through the trees. On the other side was a closed-down gas station, a tattered billboard for a 1990s movie, and one open business, which was the source of the neon light and the greasy smell.**

 **It wasn't a fast-food restaurant like she had heard Percy openly wishing it was. It was one of those weird roadside curio shops that sell lawn flamingos and wooden Indians and cement grizzly bears and stuff like that. The main building was a long, low warehouse, surrounded by acres of statuary. The neon sign above the gate was impossible for them to read, because if there's anything worse for their dyslexia than regular English, it's red cursive neon English.**

 **To the demigods, it looked like: ATNYU MES GDERAN GOMEN MEPROUIM.**

"Gomen? Why are they saying sorry?" Apollo asked.

"Is that what that means?" Hermes asked.

"It's an abbreviated form of apology."

"Huh. And this whole time I thought you were cursing Artemis when you said that."

"Wha-I would never!"

"Yeah, that's what she said when I tried to tell her."

"You what?!"

"Apollo, shush, there's plot!" Hermes hushed his brother.

 **"What the heck does that say?" Percy asked.**

 **"I don't know," Annabeth said as Andi narrowed her eyes at the sign, showing she too was struggling to find out.**

 **Grover translated: "Aunty Em's Garden Gnome Emporium."**

 **"Thanks Grover." Andi chirped.**

 **Flanking the entrance, as advertised, were two cement garden gnomes, ugly bearded little runts, smiling and waving, as if they were about to get their picture taken.**

 **Percy crossed the street, following the smell of the hamburgers.**

 **"Hey...I don't think-" Grover shuffled his hooves.**

 **"The lights are on inside," Annabeth said. "Maybe it's open."**

 **"Snack bar," Percy said wistfully.**

 **"Snack bar," the blonde agreed.**

"Snack Bar!" the demigods cheered.

 **"Are you two crazy?" Grover said. "This place is weird."**

 **"Grover, it's garden gnomes, of course it's weird. But if there is food, we need to stock up." Andi told him as the other two ignored him.**

 **The front lot was a forest of statues: cement animals, cement children, even a cement satyr playing the pipes, which gave Grover the creeps.**

 **"Bla-ha-ha!" he bleated. "Looks like my Uncle Ferdinand!"**

"Oh yeah, I remember him." Dionysus chuckled. "He always was a sucker for pretty women."

"So Zeus as a Satyr?" Hades asked.

"No, no. He wasn't that bad."

 **They stopped at the warehouse door.**

 **"Don't knock," Grover pleaded. "I smell monsters."**

 **"Your nose is clogged up from the Furies," Annabeth told him. "All I smell is burgers. Aren't you hungry?"**

 **"Meat!" He snorted scornfully. "I'm a vegetarian."**

 **"You eat cheese enchiladas and aluminum cans," Percy reminded him.**

 **"Those are vegetables. Come on. Let's leave. These statues are...looking at me."**

"Join us, Grover. Join us." Apollo, Hermes, Frank and Leo implored in creepy sync.

 **They didn't listen as they approached the door.**

 **Grover grabbed Andi's shoulder, "You believe me, right?" he asked pleadingly.**

 **It gave the small girl pause; they had left the Furies a while ago. Plenty of time for Grover's nose to clear up even if they had been clogged like Annabeth suggested, "Let's just be careful." She told him, her own stomach grumbling as she was had foregone eating anything so as to save her remaining rations of two granola bars and bag of trail-mix for when they really needed it.**

 **Then the door creaked open, and standing in front of them was a tall Middle Eastern woman-at least, they assumed she was Middle Eastern, because she wore a long black gown that covered everything but her hands, and her head was completely veiled. Her eyes glinted behind a curtain of black gauze, but that was about all one could make out. Her coffee-colored hands looked old, but well-manicured and elegant, so they imagined she was a grandmother who had once been a beautiful lady.**

"She seems familiar." Rhea mused to herself.

Athena scowled and glared at her rival.

Poseidon began to sweat bullets.

 **Her accent sounded vaguely Middle Eastern too. "Children, it is too late to be out all alone. Where are your parents?"**

 **"They're...um..." Annabeth started to say.**

 **"We're orphans," Percy said. Getting Andi to send him a scathing glare.**

 **"Orphans?" the woman said. The word sounded alien in her mouth. "But, my dears! Surely not!"**

 **"We got separated from our caravan," Percy continued. "Our circus caravan. The ringmaster told us to meet him at the gas station if we got lost, but he may have forgotten, or maybe he meant a different gas station. Anyway, we're lost. Is that food I smell?"**

"...Wow, damn, and I thought Apollo had a hard time lying!" Hermes said as he burst into laughter.

"C-circus caravan! Gets me every time!" Leo managed to get out between his belly laughter.

Percy's face turned bright red and he tried to shrink down in his seat.

 **"Oh, my dears," the woman said. "You must come in, poor children. I am Aunty Em. Go straight through to the back of the warehouse, please. There is a dining area."**

 **They thanked her and went inside.**

 **Annabeth muttered to Percy, "Circus caravan?"**

 **"Always have a strategy, right?"**

 **"Your head is full of kelp." Annabeth pointed out.**

"Thank you for agreeing with me, Annie."

"Keep reading, Thalia."

 **"At least go for something more believable." Andi added, "Like runaways, that's always a tear jerker." She stated in an angry whisper, the orphan comment slightly upsetting her.**

 **The warehouse was filled with more statues-people in all different poses, wearing all different outfits and with different expressions on their faces. Seriously, you had to have some huge property to display these things.**

 **They walked in and the group barely noticed Grover's nervous whimpers, or the way the statues' eyes seemed to follow them, or the fact that Aunty Em had locked the door behind them. They were just too hungry.**

"How can you be that hungry?" Leo asked.

"We. Were. Twelve." Annabeth and Percy grumbled.

"...Still though..."

 **They finally made it to the dining area at the back of the warehouse, a fast-food counter with a grill, a soda fountain, a pretzel heater, and a nacho cheese dispenser. Everything you could want, plus a few steel picnic tables out front.**

 **"Please, sit down," Aunty Em said.**

 **"Awesome," Percy said.**

 **"Um," Grover said, "We have some-yeow!" he yelped out as Andi jabbed his hip discreetly.**

 **"We don't have any money though," Andi stated to the woman, her bottom lip jutted out with a tiny whimper and big blue eyes. It was clear to the others that she was trying to milk her cute factor to get the old woman to feed them for free.**

"...It would work." Rhea admitted with a coo. "Look at that widdle face! And Zeus almost ruined it!"

"Wow, she is _mad_ at him..." Hades mumbled to his brother.

"Oh yeah." Poseidon nodded.

Hera rolled her eyes. "Mother, it's not that cute."

"Hera, darling, your babies are beautiful as are you, but that is the adorable factor that only humanity can create." The Titaness explained. She'd always been a fan of the humans, especially the children. They were just so cute!

 **Aunty Em seemingly smiled, they couldn't be sure with her veil, and said, "No, no, children. No money. This is a special case, yes? It is my treat, for such nice orphans."**

 **"Thank you, ma'am," Annabeth said politely.**

 **Aunty Em stiffened, as if Annabeth had done something wrong, but then the old woman relaxed just as quickly.**

"She seems very familiar for some reason. Blast it, if only I could put my finger on it." Rhea hummed.

Athena smirked while Poseidon grimaced.

 **"Quite all right, Annabeth," she said. "You have such beautiful gray eyes, child." Andi gave the old woman a look.**

 **How'd she know Bethy's name? They hadn't introduced themselves, ah, her stomach was growling. Maybe she was just so hungry that she'd been too distracted and missed one of the others doing so.**

 **The hostess disappeared behind the snack counter and started cooking. Before the group knew it, she'd brought them plastic trays heaped with double cheeseburgers, vanilla shakes, and XXL servings of French fries.**

 **Percy was halfway through his burger, looking like he didn't even need to breathe.**

"Respect." Thalia nodded at her cousin.

Percy grinned.

 **Annabeth slurped her shake in happiness.**

 **Andi was looking at her burger, not too enthused by the idea something that greasy, even if her stomach was growling. She just took sips from her water bottle to shut it up.**

 **Grover picked at the fries, and eyed the tray's waxed paper liner as if he might go for that, but he still looked too nervous to eat.**

 **"What's that hissing noise?" he asked.**

 **Percy listened, but didn't hear anything. Annabeth shook her head. Andi's ears were flexed out, like she just barely could hear something and was straining to do so.**

 **"Hissing?" Aunty Em asked. "Perhaps you hear the deep-fryer oil. You have keen ears, Grover."**

 **"I take vitamins. For my ears." The disguised Satyr answered.**

"Those exist?" Leo asked. He rubbed his chin in thought.

 **Andi didn't, but she recognized…the hissing and voices that followed them. How could she not? She had heard them all year long during her second year. They were coming from…the old woman's…covered hair. She gasped, but covered it quickly with a choking sound, pretending to pound her chest.**

 **"My dear, are you okay?" Aunty Em asked in a voice laced with concern.**

 **"Wrong pipe," the blue-eyed girl croaked out, taking a sip of water while one thought raced went through her mind.**

 _ **Medusa.**_

"I knew she looked familiar! I-..." Rhea turned and looked at her second son.

Poseidon was inspecting the tip of his trident innocently.

"Poseidon..."

"Mother, we already had this discussion-"

"Yes, but now she's after your son and Athena's daughter."

Athena smirked at her rival, who growled back at her.

"Poseidon..." Rhea warned again.

"Mother, I cannot control - Athena is the one that cursed her, not I!"

"You slimy-!" Athena scowled and then grimaced as Rhea turned towards her.

"I thought that I had warned you not to do that after the whole Arachne debacle!"

"She invited Poseidon into _my_ temple for carnal pleasures! I had to punish her somehow!"

"...This is better than reality television." Apollo mumbled. He snapped his fingers and a notepad and pencil appeared in his hand. "Idea... 'Under Rhea's Roof.'"

"I'd watch that." Artemis smirked. She would, too. And make the Hunters join her.

Thalia felt a shiver go down her spine.

"But how do I pitch it?" Apollo wondered, tapping the end of his pencil against his chin.

 **Fantastic, she fought a freaking Drakon, a snake lady, the Furies and now it was time to fight the Gorgon who could turn ya to stone with a look.**

 **"Is there a bathroom?" Andi asked sweetly, throwing in a mock smile.**

 **"Of course dear." She assured the smallest of the group.**

 **"Can you show me?" The black-haired girl asked with a look of embarrassment, playing the age her small stature allowed her.**

 **You could see a wide smile under the veil, "Certainly." She told Andi, and got up from her seat.**

 **"Thanks…not!" Andi shouted at the end, flipping the table, sending the food flying. She summoned a gust of wind to push it into the monster, sending her and the table into some statues, smashing them.**

 **"Andi!" the group shouted.**

 **"Medusa, she's Medusa! Snakes in her hair." The daughter of Zeus told them in rapid fire.**

 **"I knew she was a monster!" Grover exclaimed, looking happy. Give it a second. A look of horror came to his face, "Medusa?!" he bleated in fear. There it was.**

"Nice reaction." Ares snickered.

 **"How did you know?" Annabeth asked, worry prevalent in her steel grey eyes when faced with the thought of fighting one of her cabin's greatest enemies.**

 **"I can kinda speak snake," Andi waved it off, like it wasn't a big deal whatsoever.**

"Which has to come from the whole curse thing." Apollo mused.

 **"Oh."**

 **"Um, running away time?" Grover asked, looking like he was preparing to run a marathon.**

 **"No," Andi told him as they grouped up and headed for the warehouse of statues for cover. The daughter of the sky lord saw some stones on the ground and took out her wand. In a wave, the pieces of stone turned into four small rectangle mirrors. The black-haired girl took them and passed them around, "Scramble," she ordered, "Use the mirrors, we have to take her out if we want to keep going." She said as the table was pushed aside and angry hissing could be heard, "Go!" she said, running left as the others followed her lead and dispersed as well.**

 **Annabeth put on her hat and slipped away. Grover ran with those speedy goat legs of his and flew off with a cry of 'Maia'. Percy took out Riptide and clenched his mirror, moving as well.**

 **Andi rushed down a row of statues before turning sharply behind a statue and ducked down to catch her breath. Her growling stomach not helping in the slightest. Having not eaten any of Medusa's food had left her feeling both tired and hungry.**

"That's her mistake," Leo said.

"I don't blame her." Piper grimaced. "That stuff will kill you if the monsters won't."

"Jason, we have to talk about your girlfriend."

"Thalia, read. I'm not having this discussion."

 **Hearing footsteps with her sharp ears, she used her mirror to check behind the statue she was using for cover.**

 **"Andi," a voice whispered and the girl spun around, her sword coming from her keychain and nearly stabbed the seemingly empty space in front of her out of instinct, "Gods, Bethy, don't do that," the girl hissed like a cat, finally understanding how her friends felt when she did that with her cloak.**

 **"Sorry," Invisobeth said in a whisper, "Listen, I think she laced our food, I feel groggy."**

"Two comments: First, so calling you that forever." Piper smiled at Annabeth.

"Don't you dare."

"Already done, Invisobeth." Piper giggled when Annabeth growled. The daughter of Aphrodite continued, turning to Leo. "Second: Told you that the food would kill them."

"Pfft, you can't prove it." Leo waved her off.

 **"And this is why you don't take candy from strangers."**

 **"…Are you gloating? Right now?" It was the invisible girl's turn to hiss.**

 **"Just making a point."**

 **"You are impossible at times."**

 **"Where do you think I get it from?" Andi asked in amusement.**

 **"…We are in a life and death situation and you're making jokes."**

 **"Fight one glance killing monster, you've fought them all." The black-haired girl shrugged. Seriously, she was so desensitized from these kind of things by now. After finding out about the gods, there was nothing else that could shock her.**

 **Just monster day, just another day.**

"...I don't know if that was a joke or a poorly adapted song lyric. Apollo?" Hermes asked.

"My money's on sly comment." Apollo nodded.

 **The blue-eyed girl heard hissing traveling upon the air and flexed her ears. She used her mirror again and saw the monster coming, her head hissing not nice things, "Dammit, Bethy, go find Percy and figure out a way to kill her. I'll run distraction." She said before the other girl could protest.**

 **Trusting Annabeth to heed her instructions, the child of lightning let out a sharp whistle. "Over here!" she hollered, as she weaved through rows of statues, Medusa's victims, her brain idly supplied."Get back here! Let me kill you for your brother's crimes!" The Gorgon screeched like a banshee.**

 **"Oh get over yourself!"**

 **The monster only screamed more, it sounded like useless babble to the wind user.**

 **"Batter up!" Grover's voice echoed out from somewhere above Andi, then suddenly there was a loud crack before the sound of stone shattering rang out. Andi used her mirror to see Grover flying with a broken tree branch in hand and Medusa among the rubble of some of her statues, "That was for Uncle Ferdinand!" Grover yelled.**

"For Ferdinand! For glory!" Leo shouted, earning a rousing cheer from the rest of the demigods.

 **"Go Grover! You're the Satyr!" The daughter of the sky cheered with a whoop.**

 **In the meantime, Annabeth found Percy.**

"Wow, already worshipping him, Invisobeth?"

"I swear to God, McLean..."

"You shouldn't do that, Invisobeth. The Olympians might smite you."

"ARGH!"

 **"Why can't we just get out of here?" The boy whispered back, using his mirror to check for the monster.**

 **"Like Andi said, we need to take her out," Annabeth told the son of Poseidon, "Look at these statues Percy," she said, pointing to a pair of lovers turned to stone, "She's evil, a menace, she needs to be gone or more innocent people will be changed." She spoke sternly.**

 **Percy looked at the statues and his heart clenched, one was a little girl, maybe seven or eight, carrying an Easter egg basket, in a little dress with fancy shoes, her face etched in horror.**

 **This woman, no, monster, needed to go.**

 _ **This can't keep happening.**_ **He thought as he clenched Riptide tightly in his hand.**

 **"You have the best shot at her," Annabeth continued, "I'd do it myself, but you have the better weapon. Andi and I can't get close to her without getting sliced to pieces. Me for my mother, Andi for her brother," she said, speaking of the original Perseus.**

 **"But Andi has a bow."**

 **"She can't get a clean shot if she has her eyes closed Seaweed Brain." Came the scolding tone of Annabeth, "I've only seen Cabin Seven pull that off." She answered, even if Andi was a natural crack shot, she silently noted.**

"Only because of the whole wind thing!" Apollo interjected quickly. He crossed his arms. "Ain't no one out there better than me and Arte."

Artemis nodded in agreement. "We are _the_ archers."

"HFIL yeah!"

The twins shared a high five without glancing at each other.

 **Grover did another fly by, but Medusa grabbed his makeshift bat and sent him flying into a crash course with a stone grizzly which he impacted with a thud and got tangled in its arms.**

 **"Right," Percy bit his lip, he nodded, his sea green eyes filled with determination as he took a breath to calm his nerves. Riptide up, he turned his mirror towards the sound of the monster, who was yelling at Andi, something about taking off her hair with arrows and Andi shouting back that she was doing her a favor.**

 **Looks like Andi was firing blind. Great, so he needed to avoid friendly fire too. Fun. Of course as soon as he thought that an arrow whizzed by his head, "Andi watch it!" he shouted, getting Medusa to look at him from what his mirror was telling him.**

 **"Sorry!" Was the shout from the archer, though she didn't really sound sorry.**

"She's definitely Zeus' daughter." Poseidon grumbled.

 **He kept moving, seeing as Medusa let him approach, twenty feet, ten feet. As he got closer, he noted how ugly she really was.**

 **"You wouldn't harm an old woman, would you Percy?" She crooned to the boy.**

 **The son of the sea felt a fog settle in his head at her words.**

 **"The Gray-Eyed One did this to me, Percy," Medusa said, and she didn't sound anything like a monster. Her voice invited him to look at her, to sympathize with a poor old grandmother. "Annabeth's mother, the cursed Athena, turned me from a beautiful woman into this. Andi's brother killed me, for no reason other than as some trophy."**

"And to tap that sweet ass..."

"Ares! That's not what happened!" Aphrodite protested.

"According to Apollo's movie version it is!" Ares huffed.

"I hate that film. And the remake...especially the remake..." Hades growled. "Zeus was played by Liam Neeson and who do I get? Lord freakin' Voldemort."

"That, by the way, was not my decision. I prefer the original." Apollo noted. "Stop motion sea monkey Kraken and all."

 **"Don't listen to her!" Annabeth's voice shouted, somewhere in the statuary. "Do it, Percy!"**

 **"Silence!" Medusa snarled. Then her voice modulated back to a comforting purr. "You see why I must destroy the girls, Percy. She is my enemy's daughter. I shall crush her statue to dust along with that wretched sky child who shares blood with the bastard who slew me. But you, dear Percy, you need not suffer."**

"I will show you _intimate_ pleasures."

"APHRODITE!" The goddesses, Poseidon, and Rhea glared at the tittering goddess of love while the younger gods busted a gut and Hades chuckled.

Percy, however, flushed so red that one might be concerned for his health.

 **"Oh gods, Percy kill this whining thing already!"**

 **"Silence you pre-pubescent whore!" Medusa screeched.**

 **"Says the skank herself!"**

 **Thwack!**

 **"Ah!" the snake woman cried out, an arrow embedded in her rear.**

"There's an arrow in her butt!" Piper cried out.

Leo snickered. "Ah, Shrek. Classic."

 **"No," Percy muttered, trying to shake off the fog in his head.**

 **"Do you really want to help the gods?" Medusa asked in hissing pain. "Do you understand what awaits you on this foolish quest, Percy? What will happen if you reach the Underworld? Do not be a pawn of the Olympians, my dear. You would be better off as a statue. Less pain. Less pain."**

 **"Percy, don't listen!" Grover moaned out.**

 **"Too late!" Medusa cackled, lunging at the black-haired boy with her talons at the ready.**

 **Percy slashed up with his sword, heard a sickening slice, then a hiss like wind rushing out of a cavern: the sound of a monster disintegrating.**

 **Something fell to the ground next to his foot. It took all his willpower not to look. He could feel warm ooze soaking into his sock, little dying snakeheads tugging at his shoelaces.**

 **Grover was gagging at the sound of the dying monster while Annabeth, visible now, had her eyes to the sky, holding Medusa's black veil. She used it to cover the head, telling him sternly not to move. She picked up the head as it dripped green goop from inside the makeshift bag.**

"Eww..." Piper, Leo, Hazel, Frank and Jason grimaced.

"And you thought she smelled bad on the _outside_." Nico noted.

"...Nico di Angelo, you have my permission to marry my son." Apollo nodded as he wiped away a prideful tear.

Nico flushed bright red and slumped into his seat, trying to slink out of sight.

 **"Clear?" Andi's voice asked from a bit away.**

 **"Clear!" Annabeth said as Andi did a super leap and landed next to them.**

 **"You guys okay?" Andi asked, not bothered by the severed head in the bag at all.**

 **"Yeah," Annabeth answered, her voice trembling, even Percy looked a little green in the face, as if he was trying not to puke up his cheeseburger.**

 **"Why didn't the head evaporate?" Percy asked as Grover joined up with them, missing his shoes.**

 **"It's a spoil of war, like your Minotaur horn or Andi's ring." The child of wisdom answered, "But don't unwrap it, it can still petrify you." Annabeth said swiftly with caution in her tone.**

"Makes good statues out of crappy step-parents." Percy chuckled.

Poseidon smirked in agreement.

"...Can I borrow it?" Thalia asked.

"Thalia!" Artemis hissed while Hera glared at her for the implications.

"What? I want to see what it would do on other monsters first hand!"

 **"Nice flight goat boy," the pixie-like girl grinned, giving him a nudge to the shoulder and got a bashful grin back.**

 **"Well, the hitting her with a stick part was fun, getting caught in a statue, not so much." he admitted.**

 **"We'll make the Blue Angels yet Grov," Andi said, arm wrapped around his shoulder as her other hand pointed to the distance dramatically, "But only if you believe in your inner flying goat." She stressed jokingly.**

 **That earned a light heartening laugh among the group, breaking the tense atmosphere.**

 **Percy recapped his sword as Grover got his flying shoes back on his hooves. They made it out of the warehouse and back to the dining area.**

 **They found some old plastic grocery bags behind the snack counter and double wrapped Medusa's head. They plopped it on the now right side up table where they'd eaten dinner and sat around it, too exhausted to speak.**

 **Finally Percy said, "So we have Athena to thank for this monster?"**

"It's Poseidon's fault."

"You're the one who changed her!"

"You are _both_ to blame." Rhea drawled, silencing the rivaling Olympians.

 **Annabeth flashed him an irritated look. "Your dad, actually. Don't you remember? Medusa was Poseidon's girlfriend. They decided to meet in my mother's temple. That's why Athena turned her into a monster. Medusa and her two sisters who had helped her get into the temple, they became the three gorgons and then the original Perseus killed her. That's why Medusa wanted to slice Andi and I up, but she wanted to preserve you as a nice statue. She's still sweet on your dad. You probably reminded her of him."**

"Says quite a lot about your tastes, Invisobeth."

"Piper, sleep with one eye open."

 **The sea child's face was burning, a tight frown on his face. "Oh, so now it's my fault we met Medusa."**

 **"Well," Andi spoke up, "You did kinda speak of her Bethy," her voice trickling with mirth, "So maybe…"**

 **"Oh, so it's my fault," Annabeth scowled at the other girl.**

 **"You're saying it, not me." The pixie girl deflected with an innocent look on her face.**

 **Once again, that look didn't suit her devious little mind. All three of the others agreed to that in their heads.**

 **Annabeth was about to start up again, but Grover pounded his disguised hoof on the gravel like a gavel, "Okay, enough with all this, seriously, I'm getting a migraine, and Satyrs don't even get migraines. So, what are we going to do with the head?" he asked around the council of demigods.**

 **Percy stared at the thing. One little snake was hanging out of a hole in the plastic. The words printed on the side of the bag said: WE APPRECIATE YOUR BUSINESS.**

 **What had Medusa said?**

 **Do not be a pawn of the Olympians, my dear. You would be better off as a statue.**

 **The son of the sea was angry, not just with Annabeth or her mom, but with all the gods for this whole quest, for getting them blown off the road and in two major fights the very first day out from camp. At this rate, they'd never make it to L.A. alive, much less before the summer solstice.**

"But you did." Apollo pointed out.

"Still, nice present." Hermes grinned in amusement.

 **Percy had a thoughtful look on his face and got up. "I'll be back."**

 **"Percy," Annabeth called after him. "What are you -"**

 **He searched the back of the warehouse until he found Medusa's office. Her account book showed her six most recent sales, all shipments to the Underworld to decorate Hades and Persephone's garden. According to one freight bill, the Underworld's billing address was DOA Recording Studios, West Hollywood, California. He folded up the bill and stuffed it in his pocket.**

 **In the cash register he found twenty dollars, a few golden drachmas, and some packing slips for Hermes Overnight Express, each with a little leather bag attached for coins. He rummaged around the rest of the office until he found the right-size box.**

 **Percy came back to the picnic table, packed up Medusa's head, and filled out a delivery slip:**

 _ **The Gods**_

 _ **Mount Olympus**_

 _ **600th Floor,**_

 _ **Empire State Building**_

 _ **New York, NY**_

 _ **With best wishes,**_

"You didn't really do that...did you?" Rhea asked her grandson.

"...Uh, well, um...I thought it'd be funny?" Percy mumbled nervously.

Rhea sighed and looked at her son. "He's yours, that's for sure."

Poseidon beamed in pride.

 **The son of the sea looked to his cousin, "You want in on this?" he asked, a grin on his face, knowing she was pissed about all this too.**

 **Andi raised a fine eyebrow, "Percy, do I look like a girl who would do what I think you are planning?" she asked sternly.**

 **"…Yes."**

"Well she did last time." Hermes shrugged.

 **Andi scoffed at him, "I may like to pull a good joke, but even I'm not this stupid."**

"...Then again, this is a different Andi..." The God of Messengers mumbled.

 _ **PERCY JACKSON**_

 **"They're not going to like that," Grover warned. "They'll think you're impertinent."**

 **"I am impertinent," Percy stated with confidence.**

"I don't know if you know what that word means," Jason said dryly.

"It means 'rude'."

"Well, color me impressed. Percy knows a big boy word."

"Shut up, Porcupine head."

 **Before Percy could add the golden drachmas, Andi grabbed a piece of wrapping paper, "Hold on, let me add something."**

 **"I thought you weren't in on this?" Percy asked her.**

 **"I'm not, I just want to add my own message to the delivery."**

 _ **How's it going Pops? It's me! Andi! You know, your newly claimed kid. So yeah, Percy (your newest wethead nephew) is sort of an idiot. So don't hold this against him. We're sending this spoil of war as a gift, ignore whatever contrary things that my idiot cousin says. It shows how awesome I am, right? First day out on your Lightning Bolt quest and we off Medusa (also, her snake hair was seriously rude)! So yeah, take care of that spoil and make some use of it if you can.**_

 _ **P.S. Can you make an Aegis out of it for me? Pretty please? If you did, you'd be like, the number one dad of the century!**_

 _ **P.S.S. We'll find that Bolt of yours, no worries!**_

❤ _**ANDI POTTER**_

"...Huh, that's new." Leo mumbled.

"Ugh, I think I threw up a bit in my mouth reading that," Thalia said, gagging.

 **Annabeth looked at the letter, "An Aegis, really?"**

 **"Bethy, I've read about it, that thing is awesome!" Andi gushed, "Who wouldn't want that?"**

 **"Percy killed it. Why would you get anything out of it?" the blonde questioned further.**

 **"I helped with my amazing distracting skills." Andi said flippantly.**

"Well, Zeus is good at that." Poseidon mused.

"Poseidon, behave. You're on thin ice."

 **Annabeth just gave Andi an annoyed looked, "That really didn't qualify as much help, Andi."**

 **The child of Zeus pouted and declared, "I think it did! And it's what I think that counts, because I say so. Deal with it!"**

 **Annabeth just gave her a frustrated look as Percy himself seemed annoyed and Grover was just wearing a strained smile. None of them were up to arguing with the unreasonable girl after the fight they just had.**

 **Pushing aside his annoyance, Percy poured some golden drachmas in the pouch. As soon as he closed it, there was a sound like a cash register. The package floated off the table and disappeared with a pop!**

 **Percy turned to Annabeth, daring her to criticize with a smirk on his face.**

 **She didn't. The blonde seemed resigned to the fact that they had a major talent for ticking off the gods, in their own way. "Come on," she muttered. "We need a new plan."**

 **"What was your first clue, Bethy?" Andi huffed rudely.**

 **"Oh hush you."**

"Such a rude retort, Invisobeth."

"Not even Jason will be able to save you from my wrath."

"Actually-"

"No, bro, just, don't get into it. I can't beat her, and I'm OP, remember?" Percy shook his head at the son of Jupiter.

"...Right."

 **They were doing pretty okay that night.**

 **They camped out in the woods, a hundred yards from the main road, in a marshy clearing that local kids had obviously been using for parties. The ground was littered with flattened soda cans and fast-food wrappers.**

 **Andi had cleared most of it up with magic, a frown on her face at the ruining of what was no doubt once a beautiful natural place. She had made a bag out of some of Aunty Em's clothes with a feather-lightcharm added onto it, so they had food to carry with them for hopefully part of the way. She even used her magic to make sleeping bags for the group and to dry out all their clothes after the whole Gorgon fiasco. They didn't use Andi's magic light or light a fire, not wanting to attract more attention than they had for the day thank you very much.**

 **They decided to sleep in shifts. Percy volunteered to take first watch.**

"And they didn't wake up that morning."

"ARES!"

 **Annabeth curled up into a bag and was snoring as soon as her head hit the ground. Andi snuggled up like a cat into hers, showing the same skill to sleep on command. Grover fluttered with his flying shoes to the lowest bough of a tree, put his back to the trunk, and stared at the night sky.**

 **"Go ahead and sleep," the son of the sea told him. "I'll wake you if there's trouble."**

 **He nodded, but still didn't close his eyes. "It makes me sad, Percy."**

 **"What does? The fact that you signed up for this stupid quest?"**

 **"No. This makes me sad." He pointed at the pile of garbage Andi collected to the side of them. "And the sky. You can't even see the stars. They've polluted the sky. This is a terrible time to be a satyr."**

"Or any nature spirit in general." Artemis sighed.

 **"Oh, yeah. I guess you'd be an environmentalist."**

 **He glared at Percy. "Only a human wouldn't be. Your species is clogging up the world so fast ... ah, never mind. It's useless to lecture a human. At the rate things are going, I'll never find Pan."**

 **"Pam? Like the cooking spray?"**

"...Wow, he clearly said Pan," Nico said.

"I was _twelve_!"

"How does that affect this?"

"...Shut up!"

"Yeah, didn't think so."

 **"Pan!" The satyr cried indignantly. "P-A-N. The great god Pan! What do you think I want a searcher's license for?"**

 **As if in response to the god's name a strange breeze rustled through the clearing, temporarily overpowering the stink of trash and muck. It brought the smell of berries and wildflowers and clean rainwater, things that might've once been in these woods. Suddenly Percy was nostalgic for something he'd never known.**

 **"Tell me about the search," the son of the sea said.**

 **Grover looked at Percy cautiously, as if he were afraid the boy was just making fun of him.**

 **And so Percy got Satyr life 101 in the span of a few minutes before Grover told him to rest up. Like his fellow demigods, he fell asleep as soon as he laid his head down.**

 **It had been a long day.**

"Yeah…Time to hit that ol' dusty trail." Apollo yawned and stretched his arms above his head.

"Stay awake, fool." Artemis told him with a sharp poke in his side.

 **It was dreamtime once more, she stood in a dark cavern before a gaping pit. Gray mist creatures churned all around her, whispering rags of smoke that she somehow knew were the spirits of the dead.**

 **They tugged at her clothes, trying to pull her back, but she felt a stronger force bring her to the very edge of the chasm.**

 **She looked down, geez, what a drop.**

 **The pit yawned so wide and was so completely black, she knew it must be bottomless. Yet the child of the sky lord had a feeling that something was trying to rise from the abyss, something vast and sinister.**

 **The little heroine,** **an amused voice echoed far down in the darkness.** **Too weak, too young, but perhaps you will do.**

 **The voice felt ancient - cold and heavy. It wrapped around her like sheets of ice.**

 **But she bristled at the weak comment, glaring at the evil in the never-ending hole.**

 **They have misled you, girl,** **it said.** **Barter with me.** **I will give you what you want.**

 **Cold laughter echoed from the chasm.**

 **She laughed too.**

 **"Wow, cliché much? What? Going to give me power? Fame? Money? A harem?"**

"I'd go for the harem." Leo mumbled.

"Harem! Go for the harem!" Aphrodite cheered.

"Aphrodite!" "Mom!"

"Oh, as if none of you would!"

 **she snorted at the last one, "please creeper in a hole, I've got better things to do." She dismissed with a twirl of her heels and began to walk away, marching against the harsh force that kept pushing her towards the pit.**

 **Help me rise, girl.** **The voice became hungrier.** **Bring me the bolt. Strike a blow against the treacherous gods!**

"Still as pleasant as ever." Rhea drawled. She shook her head, disappointment on her features.

 **The spirits of the dead whispered around her,** _ **No! Wake!**_

 **"Still not hearing anything interesting creeper, not sold. Bye-bye."**

 **Your mortal family may live once more. You can have the normal family life that you've always desired.**

 **And it was at that moment that Andi cursed her second of pause.**

 **The voice laughed, as if it gained some victory.**

 **She marched faster, running even as she felt like she was standing still. The thing in the pit tightened its unseen grip around her.**

 **She realized it wasn't interested in pulling her in. It was using her to pull itself out.**

 **Good,** **it murmured.** **Good.**

 _ **Wake!**_ **the dead whispered.** _ **Wake!**_

 **Someone was shaking her.**

 **Her eyes opened, only to be blinded by daylight.**

"Whoops. My bad." Apollo chuckled.

 **"Well," Annabeth said, "the zombies live."**

"That's not funny." Hades glared at Annabeth.

The daughter of Athena sank into her boyfriend's side sheepishly.

 **The child of the storm gods turned to one another, each could see the horror in the other's uniquely colored eyes.**

 **Once more, they had the same dream, they could feel it.**

 **Andi was rubbing her shuddering shoulders as her cousin asked, "How long was I asleep?" rubbing his face and wiping away the drool from his mouth.**

 **"Long enough for me to cook breakfast." Annabeth tossed them a bag of nacho-flavored corn chips, each, from Aunty Em's snack bar. "And Grover went exploring. Look, he found a friend."**

 **Percy's eyes were still a little fuzzy.**

 **Grover was sitting cross-legged on a blanket with something fuzzy in his lap, a dirty, unnaturally pink stuffed animal.**

 **No. It wasn't a stuffed animal. It was a pink poodle.**

 **"Oh you poor thing," Andi cooed to the freaky colored dog, "What monsters did this to you," she said, getting up and petting behind the animal's ear.**

"Rich monsters." Piper shook her head. "People are stupid."

"Preaching to the choir, Pippen." Dionysus huffed.

 **The poodle panted at her touch, but yapped at Percy suspiciously. Grover said, "No, he's not."**

 **The boy blinked. "Are you...talking to that thing?"**

 **The poodle growled.**

 **"This thing," Grover warned, "is our ticket west. Be nice to him."**

 **"You can talk to animals?"**

 **Grover ignored the question. "Percy and Andi, meet Gladiola. Gladiola, Percy and Andi."**

 **"Hello Gladiola." Andi cooed affectionately, she was a sucker for animals.**

 **Percy stared at Annabeth, figuring she'd crack up at this practical joke they were playing on him, but she looked deadly serious.**

 **"I'm not saying hello to a pink poodle," he said. "Forget it."**

 **"Percy," Annabeth said. "I said hello to the poodle. Andi said hello to the poodle. You say hello to the poodle."**

 **The poodle growled.**

 **Percy said hello to the poodle.**

"Smart move," Percy said with a nod.

 **Grover explained that he'd come across Gladiola in the woods and they'd struck up a conversation. The poodle had run away from a rich local family, who'd posted a $200 reward for his return. Gladiola didn't really want to go back to his family, but he was willing to if it meant helping Grover.**

 **"How does Gladiola know about the reward?" Percy asked.**

 **"He read the signs," Grover said. "Duh."**

 **"Of course," Percy nodded. "Silly me."**

 **"Why?" Andi asked, "He seems like such a smart doggy," the pixie girl smiled at the dog, which was panting under her ear scratching.**

"Not going to lie, Corgi are the best." Apollo decided.

"Ein." Piper, Frank, Annabeth and Leo grinned.

"What?" Hazel asked.

"Some dumb cartoon reference," Thalia shrugged.

 **"So we turn in Gladiola," Annabeth explained in her best strategizing voice, "we get money, and we buy tickets to Los Angeles. Simple."**

 **Percy thought about his dream - the whispering voices of the dead, the thing in the chasm, and his mother's face, shimmering as it dissolved into gold. All that might be waiting for him in the West.**

 **"Not another bus," he said warily.**

 **"No," Annabeth agreed.**

 **She pointed downhill, toward train tracks they hadn't been able to see last night in the dark. "There's an Amtrak station half a mile that way. According to Gladiola, the westbound train leaves at noon."**

 **The group nodded and set forth.**

 **As the child of wisdom and Satyr moved ahead, Andi fell back with Percy.**

 **They needed to talk.**

"Andi's pregnant already!? Prissy, you sly dog."

"Ares!" Hera snapped while the group of teens glared at the snickering god of war.

 **"You heard it too, right?" Percy asked, voice shaking in memory of the haunting voice.**

 **Andi said nothing for a moment, her eyes like ice chips, "Percy, we can't trust that** _ **thing**_ **." She said sternly, her instincts were screaming at her, run away, run away from that** _ **thing**_ **.**

 **"It had my mom," he told her, his hands clenched.**

 **"It said it could bring my family back," she told him in a solemn tone, getting him to turn his head in surprise to her, "It's evil Percy, that thing we, we need to avoid it," she spoke, her pitch rising in fear as she stuttered.**

 **The black-haired boy nodded, "Why does it feel like we'll see it when we reach the west?" he asked.**

 **"Because the Fates love us?"**

 **"That seems right."**

"It's an understatement." Percy drawled. The demigods nodded in agreement with him.

"I'm going to keep reading," Thalia decided. She turned the page and cleared her throat.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

 **The Ever Twisting Wind: The Lightning Thief**

 **Chapter Eight: We Go Off the Highdive**

* * *

Thalia cleared her throat and continued.

 **They spent two days on the Amtrak train, heading west through hills, over rivers, and past amber waves of grain.**

 **They weren't attacked once, but the group didn't relax. Who knew where an attack could come from?**

 **Percy had to keep a low profile since his picture was tagged at the greyhound incident and was in the paper for it. Andi had been snagged in the photo too, but only her hand could be seen, looking like she was holding a racquet while he was holding something that vaguely seemed like a bat.**

 **"Don't worry," Annabeth told him. "Mortal police could never find us." But she didn't sound so sure.**

 **The rest of the day Percy spent alternately pacing the length of the train or looking out the windows. Andi was flipping through a Sports Illustrated and would shoot glances out the windows; for the scenery, maybe? Who knew what was going through his cousin's head?**

"Man, I hope the Patriots get to the super bowl this year."

"Oh golly, that guy has a nice butt."

"Meh, I could hit the ball farther if I had a stick that big."

"Wow, those uniforms are so much lamer than our Quidditch gear."

"Must you really?" Artemis asked Apollo and Hermes dryly.

"Yes." They nodded firmly.

 **Since she had spare clothes, Andi had commandeered one of the toilets to change out of her dirty outfit. She was now clad in a white form fitting tee-shirt with fluffy baby blue clouds circling around the front and a pair of denim shorts. She had kept her blue trimmed white hoodie though, apparently she thought it was cool and she was seriously considering making it her trademark or something.. Of course, she had also taken the time to do a good deed and proceeded to clean everyone's clothes with magic, something Annabeth was thankful for. Percy too, though he wasn't as vocal about it.**

 **At one point, while looking out the windows, Percy spotted a family of centaurs travelling, one was a kid who looked like a second grader on a pony, he waved and got one back. The other people didn't even notice them as they looked at their laptops or magazines.**

"Ah, the beauty of mortal stupidity." Dionysus sighed happily.

 **Another time, both black haired children saw a lion.**

Thalia and Percy grimaced.

 **Percy had been the one to spot it before turning to Andi who confirmed it with her budding archer eyes. It was running around the woods, looking just shy of the size of a pickup truck. Its fur shimmered like gold in the evening light for the few seconds it was visible before it disappeared into the foliage. The ocean child heard Andi mutter that no way was she going to wrestle that thing, much to his confusion.**

"...Yeah, Thalia should've at least tried-"

"Percy, my aim is still better than yours, don't test me."

 **Their reward money for returning Gladiola the poodle had only been enough to purchase tickets as far as Denver. They couldn't get berths in the sleeper car, so they dozed in their seats. Percy's neck got stiff and he tried his best not to drool in his sleep, since Annabeth was sitting right next to him, with limited success.**

"Should probably get used to that."

"Shut _up_ , Piper!"

"She's already used to that." Frank drawled.

"Zhang!" Both Percy and Annabeth turned bright red while the other demigods snickered.

 **Not that Percy did manage to get much sleep, because Grover's snoring and bleating kept waking him up. Once, the goat shuffled around and his fake foot fell off. Annabeth and Andi had to yank it back on before any of the other passengers noticed.**

 **"So," Annabeth asked him, once they'd gotten Grover's sneaker readjusted. "Who wants your help?"**

 **"What do you mean?" Percy asked, feeling defensive as Andi stiffened in her seat, her electric blue eyes darting about the cabin, doing her best not to meet the blonde's gaze.**

 **"When you were asleep just now, you mumbled, 'I won't help you.' Who were you dreaming about?"**

"Well, she has honey blonde hair, beautiful grey eyes..."

"Percy, let me go. I just wanna kill her." Annabeth grumbled as she tried to leap over her boyfriend at the laughing daughter of love. She'd had it up to here with all the snide comments.

"Annabeth, if you kill her, then Jason or worse Aphrodite will kill you and then I'll have to kill him and try to get mad at her and it'll just all keep getting worse." Percy argued.

Aphrodite giggled. "This is quite entertaining."

"Not to me." Hestia huffed. "Thalia, dear, please keep reading."

"You got it, Lady Hestia." Thalia nodded, a smirk on her face at her friends' predicament.

 **Percy heard Andi quietly cursing his big sleep talking mouth under her breathe.**

 **Percy was reluctant to say anything. It was the second time he'd dreamed about the evil voice from the pit. But it bothered him so much that he told her. After he spoke Andi chimed in with her own dream to add another point of view.**

 **Annabeth was quiet for a long time. "That doesn't sound like Hades. He always appears on a black throne, and he never laughs."**

"Usually I have nothing to laugh about." Hades drawled when everyone looked at him questionably.

 **"He offered my mother in trade. Who else could do that?"**

 **"It even said it would give my mother back her life," Andi spoke, clearly uncomfortable with speaking about this, if that slight quivering in her tone was anything to go by.**

 **"I guess...if he meant, 'Help me rise from the Underworld.' If he wants war with the Olympians. But why ask you two to bring him the master bolt if he already has it?"**

 **"I'll say it again, maybe it isn't him." Andi stated, her eyes unreadable as she gazed out the window. "Like you said, if he already had it, why ask for it in a deal? And this thing was in a pit…" She trailed off, clearly thinking of who else the voice could have been.**

"Since he's not here to talk about it," Poseidon began lowly. "I'm surprised she retained some intellect from her father."

"Whose to say its from him?" Hades asked, smirking. "Perhaps she earned it from her mother."

"Ah, true."

 **"He said he would give your mom back Andi, who other than the Lord of the Dead can go against death?"**

 **"There are other death deities, aren't there?"**

"As we learned with Hades' daughter," Frank said with a nod.

 **Annabeth conceded to that one.**

 **Maybe Grover sensed their emotions. He suddenly snorted in his sleep, muttered something about vegetables, and turned his head.**

 **Annabeth readjusted his cap so it covered his horns. "You guys, you can't barter with Hades. You know that, right? He's deceitful, heartless, and greedy.**

"...Well, she's two-thirds right." Hades mused dryly.

 **I don't care if his Kindly Ones weren't as aggressive this time-"**

 **"This time?" Percy asked. "You mean you've run into them before?"**

 **Annabeth's hand crept up to her necklace. She idly fingered a glazed white bead painted with the image of a pine tree, one of her clay end-of-summer tokens, lost in her memories. "Let's just say I've got no love for the Lord of the Dead. You can't be tempted to make a deal for your mom."**

 **Andi nodded to this, Percy knew she too held little love for the god of the dead. She was probably in fact reminded of the reason for that as she looked at the pine tree bead with sad blue eyes. "What would you do if it was your dad?"**

 **"That's easy," the blonde replied. "I'd leave him to rot."**

"...Harsh."

"I wouldn't now..." Annabeth mumbled as her friends scrutinized her. Things got better the more she and her dad spent time together.

 **"You're not serious?"**

 **"I'd do the same for those** _ **things**_ **," Andi spat, the child of Athena nodded in thanks for the support.**

 **Her gray eyes fixed on him, as stern as when she was in the woods during Capture the Flag. "My dad's resented me since the day I was born, Percy," she stated lightly, as if commenting on the weather. "He never wanted a baby. When he got me, he asked Athena to take me back and raise me on Olympus because he was too busy with his work. She wasn't happy about that. She told him heroes had to be raised by their mortal parent."**

"Remind me to give him a good slap one of these days," Rhea said to her granddaughter.

"He's gotten better, Rhea." Athena hedged. She knew that Fredrick wasn't an ideal mortal parent, but he could be worse. Rhea's slap would be akin to being hit by a semi.

"Humph, still!"

 **"But how...I mean, I guess you weren't born in a hospital..." Percy dumbly trailed off.**

 **"I appeared on my father's doorstep, in a golden cradle, carried down from Olympus by Zephyr the West Wind. You'd think my dad would remember that as a miracle, right? Like, maybe he'd take some digital photos or something. But he always talked about my arrival as if it were the most inconvenient thing that had ever happened to him. When I was five he got married and totally forgot about Athena. He got a 'regular' mortal wife, and had two 'regular' mortal kids, and tried to pretend I didn't exist." The blonde spat out, a lingering bitterness in her tone.**

 **Andi gave her own bitter chuckle, "Let me guess, step-mum didn't take too kindly to you?"**

 **"Bingo."**

 **"Treated you like a freak, am I right?"**

 **"Plus two to you."**

 **"Then the monsters came."**

 **"Three for three. And when those monsters came around they would both look at me resentfully, like, 'How dare you put our family at risk.' Finally, I took the hint. I wasn't wanted. I ran away."**

"And its times like these I like my father's busy single life." Piper mumbled.

Aphrodite smirked. Like she'd let Tristan be with another woman. She was so going to go back for seconds someday.

 **"How old were you?" Percy asked after watching the ping pong conversation.**

 **"Same age as when I started camp. Seven."**

 **"But...you couldn't have gotten all the way to Half-Blood Hill by yourself."**

 **Andi frowned sadly at that and turned to the window to watch the buildings zoom by.**

 **Annabeth looked ready to join the other girl in her brooding, but instead finished the story, "Not alone, no. Athena watched over me, guided me toward help. I made a couple of unexpected friends who took care of me, for a short time, anyway."**

 **Her story finished, Annabeth seemed to get lost in sad memories while fingering the gold college ring after that and the group fell into silence.**

"Says a lot though that you played with your dad's college ring." Hazel pointed out.

"...Yeah, I know." Annabeth mumbled quietly as she began to do the same.

 **It was only a few minutes later that Andi felt a sharp pain in her stomach. She groaned, rubbing it tenderly.**

"...Oh no, again?" Hazel asked, her face red.

Leo and Nico began to snicker.

"This isn't...It's not funny!" Piper tried to scold the two while failing to look serious.

"What isn't funny?" Rhea asked.

"Just watch mother." Hera sighed into her hand while the other Olympians began to either snicker and smirk or blush and/or scowl at those laughing.

 **"You okay?" Annabeth asked, face filled with concern.**

 **"I-I think I just need to go to the loo." The girl said and limped gingerly to the bathroom, clutching the side of the cabin for support.**

 **Not even a minute later there was a scream and curses in Ancient Greek.**

 **Percy grabbed Riptide, "Monster?" He asked Annabeth, who got up, her dagger already gleaming in her hand.**

 **"In the ladies room?" She shot back incredulously.**

"It's happened before." Apollo pointed out with a chuckle.

"Ah, now that was a monster fight." Ares grinned. "Good times. Good times."

 **"…I bet it's happened before." He retorted with a frown.**

 **The blonde didn't answer him as she went up to the door and knocked on it, "Andi?" she asked in a whisper.**

 **The door opened and a hand snapped out and snagged Annabeth by the collar of her shirt before yanking her into the stall.**

 **"Hey!" the child of wisdom exclaimed as she was roughly pulled into the stall.**

 **It was a few somewhat loud Greek words and laughs and then a smack later,**

"That's what you get for laughing at her, Wise Girl." Percy chuckled.

Annabeth snickered openly. "It's funny. Like that time Thalia got hers."

"...Okay, too much information." Jason drawled.

"You swore never to...Oh, remind me to kick your butt later Annie." Thalia grumbled with red cheeks.

 **that Annabeth left the stall with mirth filled eyes as she walked past Percy into the next car. She came back a few minutes later with something in her hand as she knocked on the door. "Delivery." She snickered as once more, she was pulled in.**

"You're horrible!" Piper laughed.

"Oh like you wouldn't do the same thing?" Annabeth asked between her snickers.

"No..."

"You're a terrible liar, McLean."

 **A few minutes later, both girls exited the stall, Andi's face a burning red while Annabeth snickered into her hand.**

 **"I will maul your face Bethy. Stop." The shorter girl ordered with a stern gaze.**

 **Annabeth couldn't take her seriously at all.**

 **Andi just punched her in the arm.**

 **"What the heck was that all about?" Percy asked with a raised eyebrow.**

 **Andi growled at him. "None of your damn business Jackson," she snapped, cheeks a rosy red and her hair swaying in an unnatural breeze.**

 **"Andi got a special gift," The other girl snickered and dodged another jab to the arm.**

"Oh, Annabeth Chase, that's a terrible thing to say!" Rhea chided her great-great granddaughter.

 **"I'll kill you, Annabeth. I swear to you, they won't find the body if you don't. Shut. Up."**

 **Annabeth ignored the tiny raging tiger, this was just too good not to hold over her head.**

 **"I mean, first quest, and now this too? It's just a time full of firsts for you isn't it?" She smirked**

 **Percy just gave her a clueless look. Girls, he'd never understand them.**

"At least it didn't have to be explained." Piper mused.

"That's true though." Percy nodded. "I'll never understand girls. Ever. I hope that I have a boy later in life, so much easier to understand."

"...Oh god, there'll be floods in the streets." Leo groaned. "Annabeth, you cannot have boys."

"Leo!" the couple glared at the now snickering boy and their friends.

 **Toward the end of their second day on the train, June 13, eight days before the summer solstice, they passed through some golden hills and over the Mississippi River into St. Louis. As they approached the city, Annabeth craned her neck to see the Gateway Arch.**

 **"I want to do that," she sighed wistfully.**

 **"What?" Percy asked as he stared at the giant bag handle stabbed into the ground.**

 **"Build something like that. You ever see the Parthenon, Percy?"**

 **"Only in pictures."**

 **"Same here," Andi added, though she was still mildly miffed at Annabeth for whatever had happened yesterday which still escaped the son of the sea.**

"That's a good thing." Percy told his other, who unfortunately couldn't hear him.

 **"Someday, I'm going to see it in person. I'm going to build the greatest monument to the gods, ever. Something that'll last a thousand years."**

"You have no idea how right you are." Athena mused to her daughter with a smirk on her face.

"Prophecy is...was my shtick, Chase!" Apollo pouted at the demigoddess. He grinned. "You could make it up to me with a simple gift...statues in my honor!"

"...And here I thought you were going to ask for a kiss." Artemis drawled.

"Wha...No way, Percy's a bro, and you never ask a bro's girlfriend for a kiss, Arte. That's against the Bro Code." Apollo nodded firmly.

Percy smiled and nudged Annabeth. "Hear that? I'm a bro."

"Yeah, I hear it. Don't let it go to your head, Seaweed Brain."

"Too late."

 **Percy laughed. "You? An architect?"**

 **"I can see it, Brainy Bethy…tee-shirt that one." Andi winked to the blonde.**

 **Her cheeks flushed. "Yes, an architect. Athena expects her children to create things, not just tear them down, like a certain god of earthquakes I could mention."**

 **"You know, I bet I could destroy some stuff too." The storm child muttered, preoccupied with her devious pixie thoughts. Percy really didn't want to know.**

"If anything needs to be on a t-shirt, it's that. Devious Pixie Thoughts In Progress. Run." Leo suggested. "And for guys, Impish Thoughts."

"This is good. I like this. Keep giving me good things," Hermes said as he wrote the ideas down to have turned into reality.

 **Annabeth rolled her eyes in exasperation at her fellow demigods, which upset Percy who adopted a broody look and turned to watch the churning brown water of the Mississippi below.**

 **"Sorry," Annabeth said. "That was mean."**

 **"Can't we work together a little?" He pleaded. "I mean, didn't Athena and Poseidon ever cooperate?"**

 **"I've been telling her that since before the bus incident."**

 **"…Why are you a stickler for 'I told you so's?"**

 **"I never get to do it that much, I always end up on the receiving end of them. Plus, it's fun!"**

 **"…True." Annabeth answered as she begun to think and turned to Percy. "I guess...the chariot," she began tentatively. "My mom invented it, but Poseidon created horses out of the crests of waves. So they had to work together to make it complete."**

"And the credit for who did what caused an argument that lasted for _eons_ ," Hades said with a groan. "Persephone tells me she can still hear it come up from time to time."

"Is that true, Poseidon?" Rhea asked. "Athena?"

Poseidon shifted in his throne. "...Er, well..."

"There's a simple explanation for this, Grandmother, really." Athena tried to keep a cool appearance. "Poseidon's too stubborn to admit that I did all the hard labor."

"You!?" Poseidon sputtered. "You wouldn't know labor if it came up and hit you while you were giving birth!"

"She's never…Oh, I see what he did there." Percy nodded and then winced when his girlfriend gave him a smack upside the head. "Ow."

"Seaweed Brain." Annabeth mumbled while their parents began to spiral into another debate, forcing them out of the circle of story time that Rhea had developed.

 **"Then we can cooperate, too. Right?"**

 **They rode into the city, Annabeth watching as the Arch disappeared behind a hotel.**

 **"I suppose," she said at last.**

 **They pulled into the Amtrak station downtown. The intercom told them that they'd have a three-hour layover before departing for Denver.**

 **It was only then did Grover, who had slept through the bulk of the train ride, stir before getting up with a stretch. "Food." He said, his voice still weighed down by sleep.**

"Ah, now that's a way to wake up." Leo nodded.

 **"Come on, goat boy," Annabeth ordered, grabbing his arm and dragging him off the train. "Sightseeing."**

 **"Sightseeing?"**

 **"The Gateway Arch," she stated. "This may be my only chance to ride to the top. Are you coming or not?"**

 **The three exchanged significant looks.**

 **"You promise not to bring up that which shall not be spoken of and I'm in."**

 **"Deal."**

"That's a bad deal." Hermes shamed Annabeth. "Think of the blackmail you could've used!"

"She said bring up, she didn't say ever again."

"...Oh, she's quick, that one." Hermes grinned at Percy. "She's a keeper!"

 **"Onwards and upwards companions!" Andi declared with a dramatic finger in the air while standing next to Annabeth.**

 **Percy caved, seeing it was best to stick together.**

 **Grover shrugged. "As long as there's a snack bar without monsters."**

 **The Arch was about a mile from the train station. Late in the day the lines to get in weren't that long. The questers threaded through the underground museum, looking at covered wagons and other stuff from the 1800s. It wasn't all that thrilling to the boys, but Andi seemed actually interested as Annabeth kept telling them interesting facts about how the Arch was built. Grover, though, saved Percy from being the first demigod to die of boredom as he kept passing the sea child jelly beans, thus making things bearable; he could just ignore the boring info dump and focus on binging on candy.**

"...Boring?" Annabeth frowned.

"It still sunk in." Percy tired.

Annabeth frowned further.

"Er, I was twelve?"

Annabeth looked away.

"I was younger and stupider?"

Annabeth continued to avoid her boyfriend's gaze.

"And...no love for Percy. Boyfriend fail." Piper mumbled to Leo, who snickered in agreement.

 **Percy kept vigilant though and made it a point to keep looking around the room and at the other people in line. "You smell anything?" He murmured to Grover.**

 **The satyr took his nose out of the jelly-bean bag long enough to sniff. "Underground," he said distastefully. "Underground air always smells like monsters. Probably doesn't mean anything."**

"And jinxed." The demigods, save for Percy and Annabeth, chorused.

 **But something felt wrong to the hydrokinetic demigod. He was getting a bad feeling, like they really shouldn't be here.**

 **"Guys," Percy said. "You know the gods' symbols of power?"**

 **Annabeth had been in the middle of reading about the construction equipment used to build the Arch, but she looked over. "Yeah?"**

 **"Well, Hade-"**

 **Grover cleared his throat. "We're in a public place, Percy...You mean, our friend downstairs?"**

 **"Or uncle to be less long winded, dear cousin."**

 **"Says the child of the Sky Lord."**

 **"Hurtful," Andi gasped with a mock grasp of her chest while Annabeth just smirked playfully.**

 **"Um, right," Percy agreed. "Our uncle." Agreeing with the less wordy title. "Doesn't he have a hat like Annabeth's?"**

"Tch, my Helm is far superior than a simple Yankee's cap." Hades scoffed.

Annabeth frowned. She missed her awesome Yankee's cap.

 **"You mean the Helm of Darkness," Annabeth corrected. "Yeah, that's his symbol of power. I saw it next to his seat during the winter solstice council meeting."**

 **"He was there?" Andi asked curiously.**

 **She nodded. "It's the only time he's allowed to visit Olympus; the darkest day of the year. But his helm is a lot more powerful than my invisibility hat, or Andi's cloak, if what I've heard is true..."**

 **"It allows him to become darkness," Grover confirmed. "He can melt into shadow or pass through walls. He can't be touched, or seen, or heard. And he can radiate fear so intense it can drive you insane or stop your heart. Why do you think all rational creatures fear the dark?"**

 **"But then...how do we know he's not here right now, watching us?" Percy asked.**

 **Annabeth and Grover exchanged looks.**

 **"We don't," Grover stated.**

"And that is why you're usually the villain in mortal's eyes, Hades." Hera explained simply.

"Humph, and you aren't?"

"...Yes, about that..." Hera turned to Apollo with a hard gaze.

Apollo poked his fingers together sheepishly. "Er...Uh...I think you're pretty?"

"...Ugh, you're such an idiot..." Artemis palmed her face at her twin's stupid attempt at getting out of trouble.

"Hera, be nice." Rhea chided. "I'm trying to listen to a story."

"...Yes, mother." Hera grit out and glared at Apollo once more.

 **"I doubt he would waste time stalking demigods, seriously, you'd think he has dead things to deal with." Andi countered with a roll of her eyes at what she clearly considered to their constant paranoia that had prompted them to conjure up the silly idea of a god creeping on them like some boogieman.**

"Boo." Hades drawled.

 **"Thanks, that makes me feel a lot better," Percy replied dryly at Grover, before asking for more blue jellybeans to ease his claustrophobia-induced nerves.**

 **For the ride up to the viewing deck, they got shoehorned into the car with this massively rotund lady and her diminutive dog: a Chihuahua with a rhinestone collar. Percy figured maybe the dog was a seeing-eye Chihuahua, because none of the guards said a word about it as the elevator went up its curved slope. Andi was on her knees in her seat, looking out the window excitedly, eager to see the alien view.**

 **"No parents?" The fat lady asked them, her tone dripping concern.**

"Orphans. From the circus."

"Shut up, Frank."

 **She had black beady eyes, pointy, coffee-stained teeth, a floppy denim hat, and a denim dress that bulged so much, she looked like a blue-jean blimp.**

 **"They're below," Annabeth told her. "Scared of heights."**

"Ah, so some of my fellow Cabin Niners." Leo nodded.

 **"Oh, the poor darlings."**

 **The Chihuahua growled, "Now, now, sonny. Behave." The woman chastised; the dog had beady eyes like its owner: intelligent and vicious.**

 **"Sonny. Is that his name?" Percy asked, peering at the dog; those eyes...**

 **"No," the lady told him flatly, she smiled, as if that cleared everything up. This seemed to set Andi off for some reason though. She suddenly stiffened, and glared at the old lady, even going so far as to make faces at the dog, getting it to growl at her and continued even when Annabeth told her to knock it off. She even hissed like a snake at it, getting the dog to growl even more.**

"Well, gee, I wonder if she knows what's up?" Jason mused.

 **At the top of the Arch, Percy heard the sky child comment that the observation deck reminded her of some long tube with decent carpeting. Percy agreed. Rows of tiny windows looked out over the city on one side and the river on the other. The view was great to the black haired girl it seemed as she kept peering out the windows to see it, but Percy just seemed jumpy about being cooped up this high.**

 **Annabeth kept babbling on about structural supports, and how she would've made the windows bigger, and designed a see-through floor. She probably could've stayed up there for hours, but luckily for Percy, the park ranger announced that the observation deck would be closing in a few minutes.**

 **Percy literally dragged Andi, Grover, and Annabeth toward the exit; after loading the latter two into the elevator, he and Andi were about to get in but two other tourists were already in there, so there was no more room.**

 **"Next car, kids." The park ranger announced, seeing the issue.**

 **"We'll get out," Annabeth said. "We'll wait with you."**

 **But that would just mess things up for everybody and take even more time, so Percy replied with, "Naw, it's okay. We'll see you guys at the bottom."**

"How would it mess things up for everyone?" Annabeth asked.

"...Uh, I don't know."

"...You were twelve and stupid?"

"I was twelve and stupid."

"Thought so." Annabeth nodded.

 **"Call it bonding time," Andi joked, stuffing her hands in her hoodie's pockets, before glaring at the tiny dog once more.**

 **Grover and Annabeth both looked nervous, but they let the elevator door slide shut.**

 **Their car disappeared down the ramp. Now the only people left on the observation deck were the two demigods, a little boy with his parents, the park ranger, and the fat lady with her Chihuahua.**

 **Percy smiled uneasily at the fat lady. She smiled back, her forked tongue flickering between her teeth.**

 **Wait a minute.**

 **She had a forked tongue?**

"Wow, you really have to think about it, don't you?" Nico asked.

"Shut up," Percy mumbled.

"It's sad. To think, the fate of the world was in his hands..." Leo shuddered.

"That's like saying the fate of the world was in _your_ hands, Leo." Piper pointed out.

"Hey, I'm almost seventeen. _Percy_ was barely sixteen."

 **"Damn it, I knew it," moaned Andi, in a tired tone as she drew her sword. Immediately, the mortals began screaming about the little girl with a shotgun…okay yeah, that would be scary to see if he was honest. Before Percy could finish processing this though, the fat lady's Chihuahua jumped down and started yapping incessantly at the son of the sea.**

 **"Now, now, sonny," the lady scolded. "Does this look like a good time? We have all these nice people here."**

 **"Percy get your writing utensil out, now." Andi said sternly to him as he did just that. It was monster time.** _ **Joy**_ **. "This is why I never trust Chihuahuas, they're always evil."**

 **"Doggie!" Said the little boy. "Look, a doggie!"**

"And that doggie then _ate_ the poor little boy." Ares chuckled.

 **His parents pulled him back and began dragging him towards the elevator.**

 **The Chihuahua bared his teeth at the godlings, foam dripping from his black lips.**

 **"Well, son," the fat lady sighed. "If you insist."**

"...I'm now curious and disgusted by the life that woman has lived," Rhea said.

"...Mother, you're not. Trust me." Demeter sighed with a hand on her head.

 **"Urn, did you just call that Chihuahua your son?"**

 **"Chimera, dear," the fat lady corrected the boy not unkindly. "Not a Chihuahua. It's an easy mistake to make."**

"Ohh..." Rhea blinked. "Now it makes sense."

 **"So the hurricane humper herself comes to see us." Andi sneered. "How flattering." The woman hissed like a snake, her forked tongue flicking out from behind her teeth in anger.**

 **"Silence you little brat."**

 **"Bite me."**

 **"Well if you insist."**

 **"…Eww, are you a pedophile or something? I mean, Medusa was all over Baywatch here, but that is just sick and wrong tubby."**

"Oh yeah. Ralph city." Leo nodded.

 **"I'll enjoy popping your pretty little head, godling!"**

 **"You never did answer my question, tubby…also, I thought you'd be taller."**

 **The fat lady started hissing and screaming, going red in the face as she raged at the daughter of the sky.**

 **If there was one thing that Percy had learned about his cousin, it was that Andi just had that chaotic little talent to piss people off.**

 **The monster woman rolled up her denim sleeves, revealing that the skin of her arms was scaly and green. When she smiled, they could see her fangs glisten in the light. The pupils of her eyes had thinned to mere vertical slits, like a reptile's.**

 **The Chihuahua barked louder, and with each bark, it grew. First to the size of a Doberman, then to a lion. At which point, the bark became a roar.**

 **The little boy screamed. His father grabbed him and bodily slung him over his shoulder as they ran for the exit; straight into the park ranger, who stood, paralyzed, gaping at the monster.**

"I really want to know what the Mortals see," Apollo said with a sigh. "It's gotta be hilarious."

 **The Chimera bared its gaping maw at the demigods, showing yellowed teeth the size of Andi's hand and bathing them with the stench of rotting flesh. Its lionesque head had old blood caked around its lips and staining its mane an uneven crimson; small patches of vivid orange glared at them from where the blood failed to coat. Lowering its head, a vicious diamondback around ten feet long writhed and hissed at them as its hulking goatlike body tensed. The room groaned and shook and the glass panes rattled ominously as the Chimera roared. Taking an unconscious step back, Percy's eyes darted around, analyzing the monster; a quick flash caught her attention: it was the dog collar, still desperately hanging onto its neck. The plate read: CHIMERA — RABID, FIRE-BREATHING, POISONOUS — IF FOUND, PLEASE CALL TARTARUS – EXT. 954**

"Hello? Is this Ms. Knuckles? I think I found your son, Chimera...oh he's not? ...Ah, I see. ...Well, good-bye." Hermes hung up his phone and pursed his lips. "I think she's still a little sore over the whole Tartarus thing..."

 **The snake lady made a hissing noise that might've been strangled laughter. "Be honored, Perseus Jackson, Andromeda Evans. Lord Zeus rarely allows me to test a hero with one of my brood. For I am the Mother of Monsters, the terrible Echidna!"**

 **Percy stared at the monstrous woman long and hard, but all he could come up with was "Isn't that a kind of anteater?"**

 **She howled, her reptilian face turning brown and green with rage. "I hate it when people say that! I hate Australia! Naming that ridiculous animal after me. For that, Perseus Jackson, my son shall destroy you!"**

 **"You can't blame him for the Aussies." Andi chided to the mother of monsters, disapproval in her eyes.**

"Yeah, that's mostly England's fault." Apollo grinned.

 **"Sonny, kill them. Now!"**

 **"I think someone's just a sourpuss~!"**

 **"Start with the girl! Strip her flesh and pulverize her bones!"**

 **"Joy, a right ray of sunshine, you are." Andi rolled her eyes. "Percy, it breathes fire and has poison in its fangs; also, watch out for the tail, poison, too." She told him as he brought up his sword defensively.**

 **"Right."**

 **"And since I'm the best cousin in the world, here." She said pointing her free hand to the floor, "** _ **Aguamenti**_ **." A jet of pure, clean water shot out the tip of her index finger and doused the floor, giving Percy some ammo.**

 **"Thank you," he said, feeling that tug in his gut as he pulled the water over to him.**

 **"Anytime."**

 **The Chimera charged, its fangs poised to skewer them. They leaped in opposite directions to avoid the bite.**

"And it flew right over the edge...right?" Percy asked hopefully, praying he didn't accidentally blow up the Arch again.

"Nope. Still in the game in this one." Thalia smirked, obviously aware of his worries.

 **Percy ended up next to the family and the park ranger, who were all screaming now, trying to pry open the emergency exit doors.**

 **He couldn't let them get hurt. Sword raised and the small amount of water he had coiling around his sword arm, Percy ran to the other side of the deck, and yelled, "Hey, Chihuahua!" The Chimera turned faster than he would've thought possible.**

 **It opened its mouth, emitting a stench like the world's largest barbecue pit, and shot a column of flame straight at him.**

"Do a barrel roll!" Leo shouted.

"Don't dodge, bitch!" Ares cheered. "Take it like a hero!"

"Ares, that'd kill him." Hephaestus explained dryly.

"...Exactly."

 **Percy dove through the explosion, using the water as a shield. The carpet burst into flames and all the water he had evaporated; the heat was so intense.**

 **Where he had been standing a moment before was a ragged hole in the side of the Arch, with melted metal steaming around the edges.**

 _ **Great,**_ **Percy thought.** _ **We just blowtorched a national monument.**_

"Again!" Annabeth glared at her boyfriend. "Why do you have to destroy the things I like?"

"...Percy, I am your friend and I care about you. Don't destroy yourself."

"Screw you, Jason. Seriously," Percy said with a small frown on his face.

It wasn't his fault he was a magnet for monumental destruction...Mostly.

 **Andi drew her wand and focused,"Air Hammer!"**

 **A baseball sized sphere of condensed air fired and nailed the Chimera square in its right eye, blinding it. The beast let out a cry of agony at the blow.**

 **"Sonny!" its mother cried out in worry.**

 **The beast turned and fired a wide gout of flames at the child of Zeus.**

 **"Hey!" The girl shouted out indignantly as she leapt to the side while using her wind powers to cover her dodge, by redirecting the air and causing the fire blast to curve off course a few feet from her. Sadly she dropped her wand in the process.**

 **The girl summoned her bow and made an air arrow and fired. The shot curved like it was homing in on the Chimera and sliced the base of the tail off.**

 **"I think you pissed it off more." Percy told her as she maneuvered to his right, switching to her sword once more.**

 **"It can't be that bad."**

 **Percy pulled her down with him to avoid another spout of fire from the Chimera's mouth.**

 **"I think it is."**

 **"…Oh who asked you?"**

"In a way, she did. But at the same time, she didn't." Apollo shrugged.

 **They got up and their swords touched, and an unexpected rush of something filled them. It was like they were supercharged, it felt intoxicating. Andi raised her hand and let out a violent gale, sending the beast into the far window, bending the metal and breaking the glass. The Chimera fell to the ground after peeling itself off the damaged window.**

 **"Oh yeah," said the girl while embracing the euphoric feeling of power. She took a step closer to the monster. "You want some more?"**

"Dumb." Percy groaned. "So Thalia."

"Excuse me!?" Thalia asked, outraged.

"You get cocky."

" _I_ get cocky!?"

"Thalia, don't let him egg you on." Annabeth sighed. Percy was just trying to make her forget that he was going to ruin the Arch. Again.

It wasn't going to work.

 **Only to feel that rush of power leave the second their swords disconnected if her stumbling in her steps was any indication. Meanwhile, the Chimera got up evidently encouraged by his mommy's chanting from the sidelines like some soccer mom. Percy felt the rush fly out of him too, but he stood by Andi as an idea struck.**

 **"Spilt, I'll distract it while you go for the kill from its blind side," he told her and was about to do as such, before she stopped him.**

 **"No, I have powers to stop it from getting me, you take the kill," she told him, once more choosing to play the distraction.**

 **"Andi-"**

 **"No buts! We still have** _ **mommy**_ **to deal with even if we get him," she said as the Chimera shook itself and growled at them. "Break!" She shoved him to the blind side of the beast as she ran right. As per the modified plan, the monster targeted her and fired another gout of flames.**

"Burn, Prissy burn!" Ares chuckled lowly.

Rhea shook her head. She'd never understand what happened to her grandson. Honestly, she blamed Zeus for being too lenient and Hera being so adamantly distant.

 **Andi made a wall of wind, blocking the flames as she took on all of its attention. This allowed Percy to strike from behind.**

 **"Sonny, watch out!"**

 **Too late.**

 **With a stab into its back via Riptide, the Chimera let out a roar of pain as it fell to dust, leaving behind a white horn with a tuft of bloody crimson fur.**

"Burn."

"Shut up, Thalia."

"Suck it, Kelp Head."

 **Percy and Andi both breathed out in relief only to hear the hissing of the mother of monsters. They turned to see her with the lower body of a snake with the top half of a woman, all her skin had turned green as she stood about ten feet tall and that was when she was coiled.**

 **"You dare!" she shouted at them, her fangs and clawed hands shining in the sun.**

 **Percy tensed up readying himself for the new fight when he suddenly saw, a menacing smile streak across Andi's face.**

 **She started to walk slowly as she hissed at Echidna.**

 **The monster woman turned to Andi, her face shocked before it turned brown in rage.**

 **"How-! You... Urg!" she shouted, clearly so angry at what Andi was telling her in the snake tongue that she was at a loss for words.**

 **Percy just wondered what she was saying.**

 **Hiss, hiss.**

 **"My mother was a saint!"**

"Debatable." Rhea drawled.

She'd lost a lot of respect for her mother over the past millennia.

 **Hissss.**

 **"Insolent, little, repugnant-!"**

 **Hiss.**

 **Andi smirked as she stood before the damaged window she had sent the Chimera into that looked over the ground under the arch.**

 **Hiss!**

 **"DIE!" Echidna snarled, springing at Andi using her tail like a springboard.**

"Go-go gadget spring-shoes!" Apollo declared with a nasally voice.

 **Andi crouched down and slid under the flying monster with her wind powers. The mother of monsters went through the broken window, falling to the concrete below and exploded into gold dust on impact.**

 **All was silent as the family and park ranger had left during the fight.**

 **Percy just stared at her, "…Did you just…?"**

 **"Get a monster to commit suicide, yes." Andi smirked with crossed arms and tapped the side of her head. "A sword is all well and good, but why bother if you can trick the morons with just a few words?"**

 **It was official, his cousin was insane. Some way, somehow, she just was.**

 **They heard sirens screaming towards the Arch as the adrenaline faded from them. Percy put Riptide away and grabbed the fallen horn as Andi put her weapon away and picked up her dropped wand. They looked over the hole that was made towards the Mississippi and stared over the edge.**

 **"Hey Percy, think you could make that-?"**

 **"No," the son of the sea said, "You'd have to be** _ **pretty**_ **stupid to jump from here."**

Percy groaned. He totally just insulted himself.

 **"True," Andi mused from behind him, a devious smile dawning upon her face that Percy didn't see.**

 **"Think you could fly us down from here?" Percy asked, not liking the idea of going down the regular way with all the cops around.**

 **"I could…"**

 **Percy turned his head to see police cars pull up along the side of the river, when he suddenly felt the sole of a shoe on the small of his back.**

 **"Andi."**

 **"Yes?"**

 **"Please don't."**

 **"Oops." Despite that, Andi didn't sound very sorry at all. Percy let out a girlish scream while he was waving his arms in the air, clutching his Chimera horn tightly.**

 **He noticed that he wasn't feeling any wind in his face and opened one eye as his scream slowly died and found that he was floating in the air. "Oh," he breathed. "Oh you demented little psychopath." He breathed out once more, as said psychopath giggled like a pixie, "Okay, you had your giggles, now bring me in."**

"That little-Oh, she needs a spanking." Rhea frowned. Funny it might be later on, at the moment it was _very_ inappropriate and as the Titaness of Motherhood, Rhea did _not_ approve.

 **Andi let go of him. "Oops for real!"**

 **"You suck!" Percy shouted at her on his way down to the Mississippi.**

"...Brat." Poseidon grumbled.

 **Andi took a few steps back and ran out the window, whooping in glee as she fell alongside the screaming and arm-waving Percy.**

 **"This is awesome!"**

 **"Andi! Catch me!"**

 **"Don't wanna!"**

 **"Do it!"**

 **"Nope~!"**

 **Andi was doing 360's in the air while spinning forward as Percy over exaggerated the fall. Bah, pansy.**

"Well, it's not like I can fly!" Percy grumbled.

 **As they neared the Mississippi, Andi slowed down as Percy hit the water, sinking in.**

 **"Oh man that was fun, right?!" She whooped and turned around as she floated a foot above the murky water.**

 **"Percy?" She called, kicking the water a bit, "Hello~? Percy? Oh come on, I'm pretty sure you survived that…are you ignoring me?" she asked with a pretty pout at the water and slapped it with wind. "Fine!" She huffed and crossed her legs and arms while turning her head to the side with puffed cheeks.**

"I'd ground her." Rhea huffed. She was _extremely_ displeased with the girl. This was not adorable in _any_ way, shape or form.

 **After a few minutes she got tired of floating there and moved back to the riverbank, finding Annabeth and Grover waiting for them.**

 **"What did you do?" Annabeth asked, her face ashen with horror at seeing the two holes in the monument, but still relieved to see her alive.**

 **"…Percy did it."**

"Oh! Great. Just...Awesome." Percy threw his arms in the air. "She's worse than the last one!"

"I like her." Ares grinned cruelly.

 **Annabeth seemed to be considering that statement, it was certainly possible. Grover on the other hand, appeared to be half and half on the excuse, thinking it could have been either of them.**

"G-Man!"

"Well, to be fair..."

"This is such a load of..." Percy trailed off when he felt Rhea's ire-filled glare fall on him.

He settled for brooding.

 **Meanwhile Percy broke the water surface near a floating McDonald's and kicked to the bank. As he got out he saw a news lady talking for the camera: "Probably not a terrorist attack, we're told, but it's still very early in the investigation. The damage, as you can see, is very serious. We're trying to get to some of the survivors, to question them about eyewitness reports of two individuals falling from the Arch."**

 **He tried to push through the crowd to see what was going on inside the police line.**

 **"-an adolescent boy," another reporter was saying. "Channel Five has learned that surveillance cameras showed an adolescent boy and girl going wild on the observation deck, somehow setting off this freak explosion. Hard to believe, John, but that's what we're hearing. Again, no confirmed fatalities..."**

 **Percy ducked away as fast as possible and heard a familiar goat calling his name. And before he could so much as turn to face the direction of the voice, he got goat tackled by a relieved Grover. "We thought you'd gone to Hades the hard way!"**

 **Annabeth stood behind him with an innocently whistling Andi, trying to look angry, but even she seemed relieved to see him. "We can't leave you alone for five minutes! What happened?"**

 **"I sort of fell, by force."**

 **"Percy! Six hundred and thirty feet?"**

 **Behind them, a cop shouted, "Gangway!" The crowd parted, and a couple of paramedics hustled out, rolling a woman on a stretcher. The black haired kids recognized her immediately as the mother of the little boy who'd been on the observation deck. She was saying, "And then this huge dog, this huge fire-breathing Chihuahua-"**

"A fire breathing Chihuahua?" Dionysus scoffed. "What a nut."

 **"Okay, ma'am," the paramedic soothed. "Just calm down. Your family is fine. The medication is starting to kick in."**

 **"I'm not crazy! These kids killed it with a shotgun and a lacrosse stick." Then she saw them. "There they are! That's them!"**

 **The questers disappeared into the crowd, fast.**

 **"What's going on?" Annabeth demanded. "Was she talking about the Chihuahua on the elevator?"**

 **They told them the whole story of the Chimera, Echidna, their high-dive act; and then Percy's underwater message as delivered by a suffering ocean nymph. This included a warning from his father to Andi in his own words as relayed by the nymph who had demanded Percy in turn pass on word for word to Andi, "Push my son into a potentially dangerous fall again or risk his life in any such foolishness a second time and you'll not live to regret it, Daughter of Zeus."**

"...Good boy, Poseidon."

Poseidon beamed at his mother's praise.

Hades rolled his eyes. Oh, sure. He gets praised.

Typical.

 **"Whoa," said Grover. "Andi, umm, you better take that warning to heart. Poseidon sounds really upset with you."**

 **Andi just shrugged. "I'll consider it."**

 **This nonchalant dismissal of such a dire warning from Poseidon had Annabeth ready to lecture the girl.**

 **Percy was seriously about to lose his cool with his cousin too. The son of Poseidon was really upset with the daughter of the sky lord, right now. First she punts him off a national monument, and if he wasn't Poseidon's kid, he would've died. Second, while he was plummeting to his apparent not-doom, she refused to help him at all, like it was some big joke! Then when he passes on a message to her from his dad, what does she do? She brushes it off. Even though the sea nymph who passed it on had risked coming far up river to deliver it! Doing that could've killed her, but not only had she delivered it, she'd taken the time to make sure he memorised it so he could pass it along. To just dismiss something that someone had gone to such effort to deliver...**

 **It made him** _ **really**_ **wanted to strangle her.**

"...Okay, yeah, not feeling the love for Andi right now." Leo grimaced. Dissing gods was cool and all, but Percy had a point.

Thalia rolled her eyes. "He _is_ the son of Poseidon, though."

"There have been a few sons of Poseidon who did not do well with water, Thalia." Jason pointed out.

"Name one."

"The Wrestler."

Thalia winced. "Ah...point."

Poseidon grimaced when Rhea gave him a frown.

 **Fortunately, Grover could read the mood and quickly changed the topic. " And now, we've got to get to Santa Monica! Percy can't ignore a summons from his dad."**

 **Before anyone could respond, they passed another reporter doing a newsbreak, and Percy froze when he said, "Percy Jackson. That's right, Dan. Channel Twelve has learned that the boy who may have caused this explosion fits the description of a young man wanted by authorities for a serious New Jersey bus accident three days ago. And the boy is believed to be traveling west with some unknown young girl, possibly a hostage. For our viewers at home, here is a photo of Percy Jackson."**

 **The group ducked around the news van and slipped into an alley.**

 **"First things first," Percy told Grover. "We've got to get out of town!"**

 **Somehow, they made it back to the Amtrak station without getting spotted and got on board the train just before it pulled out for Denver. The train trundled west as darkness fell, police lights still pulsing against the St. Louis skyline behind them.**

 **"Well, that was fun."**

 **"Shut up Andi."**

 **Andi huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "You guys are so cranky."**

"She obviously doesn't see how deep of shit she's in." Ares chuckled. He let his arms rest behind his head. "I can dig that."

"I'll read next," Piper said, taking the book from her boyfriend's sister.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

 **The Ever Twisting Wind: The Lightning Thief**

 **Chapter Nine: I'm On Prime Time TV!**

"Oh, no you're not!" Apollo scoffed once Piper read the chapter title. "As if you're _that_ worthy of prime time."

 **The next afternoon, on June 14, seven days before the solstice, the train rolled into Denver. Thankfully, Andi still had that fifty bucks from the start of the quest so the group could at least get something to eat, but only sparingly, since she was trying to get it to last. They hadn't showered yet, but with Andi's magic they were still able to clean up reasonably well— it was hardly a substitute for a nice warm bath, but at least the smell was gone.**

 **Andi had, after complaining under breath about having to carry the seaweed brain's stuff , stuffed his trophy into her bag; the presence of yet another horn creating a large repertoire of jokes for Annabeth to draw from, something the blonde abused relentlessly.**

 **"Let's try to contact Chiron," Annabeth eventually said. "I want to tell him about your talk with the river spirit."**

 **"We can't use phones, right?"**

 **"I'm not talking about phones, Seaweed Brain."**

"Aw, yeah, magic time." Leo smirked.

Thalia scowled and folded her arms over her chest.

 **Nonplussed, Andi with many experiences with magic, promptly assumed it was some magical means of communication that most likely was quite odd; after all, sticking one's head into a lit fireplace wasn't exactly normal either.**

 **They wandered through downtown for about half an hour, the group following Annabeth, as she kept looking for something. It was hot and dry out, so Andi was using her aerokinesis s to cool herself down; she was used to the chilly winds of Scotland and the current weather was starting to take its toll on her.**

 **Finally, they found an empty do-it-yourself car wash; veering towards the stall farthest from the street, with Andi using the Mist the best she could to cover them so they weren't spotted by any patrol cars, they ducked inside.**

 **"What exactly are we doing?" Percy asked, as Grover took out the spray gun.**

 **"It's seventy-five cents," he grumbled, yanking out a couple of coins from his back pocket. "I've only got two quarters left. Annabeth?"**

 **"Don't look at me, Andi has the money."**

"Yes, make the attempted murderer pay."

"Okay, Poseidon, that's too much." Rhea warned.

"Sorry."

 **The aforementioned girl rolled her eyes and pulled out a dollar; they only had twenty two bucks and seventy three cents left, and that was combined, along with 4 drachma too. "I'll get change," she announced, and moments later, she had four quarters.**

 **"Excellent," Grover remarked. "We could do it with a spray bottle, of course, but the connection isn't as good, and my arm gets tired of pumping."**

 **"What are you talking about?" Percy asked once more, sounding really curious.**

 **The satyr fed in the quarters and set the knob to FINE MIST. "I-M'ing."**

 **"Instant messaging?"**

 **"Iris-messaging," Annabeth corrected the resident of Cabin Three. "The rainbow goddess Iris carries messages for the gods. If you know how to ask, and she's not too busy, she'll do the same for half-bloods."**

 **"You summon a goddess with a spray gun?" Andi asked in disbelief.**

"You don't?" Hermes asked as he pumped a Super Soaker.

"Hermes, if you squirt me with that, your precious brown trucks will be the target of my ire." Artemis warned.

"I'll just obliterate you." Athena shrugged.

"...Dite?" Hermes arched a brow.

"I'd be for it if the demigods weren't here...I'd rather not get yelled at again so soon." Aphrodite muttered with a frown.

 **Grover pointed the nozzle in the air and water hissed out in a thick white mist. "Unless you know an easier way to make a rainbow."**

 **"…I think there's a spell for that." Andi mumbled.**

 **"Andi," Annabeth groaned, "That would have been helpful to know!"**

 **"It's not like you told me what we were doing Bethy." The black haired girl flushed. "And I don't know it yet." She mumbled, "I'll put it on my to-do list when we get back." She finished with an assured nod.**

 **Sure enough, late afternoon light filtered through the vapor and was scattered, creating a small rainbow that arched down from the spray gun to rest at Andi's feet.**

 **"Drachma, please." Annabeth said as she held her palm out to Percy, who had been holding onto the coins.**

 **Andi had previously stated there was no way he could lose them; it was like a trust test the daughter of Zeus joked.**

"...Wow, she really made that joke?" Leo asked, wincing. Even he wasn't that dumb when it came to making jokes about situations.

Percy's eye twitched.

 **The son of the sea was irked by that, but held onto them nonetheless. He fished one out and handed it to the blonde child of wisdom.**

 **Annabeth raised the coin over her head. "O goddess, accept our offering." With that, she threw the drachma into the rainbow. It disappeared into the multi-coloured beam in a modest golden shimmer.**

 **"Half-Blood Hill," Annabeth requested.**

 **For a moment, nothing happened, and Andi began to wonder if they had just wasted a Drachma on a Goddess too busy to bother with them. Then suddenly, the rainbow shimmered and the beam shivered and shook as colors melted together — quickly forming into the image of the strawberry fields; and the Long Island Sound in the distance. It was probably the porch of the Big House. Standing with his back to them, his upper body bent over the railing as he rested his arm on it, was a sandy-haired guy in shorts and an orange tank top. He was holding a bronze sword in one hand and idly tapping the beam with the other: seemingly staring intently at something out of view down in the meadow.**

 **"Luke!" Percy called.**

 **He turned, eyes wide. Andi could swear the older boy was standing three feet in front of her through a screen of mist, except she could only see the part of him that appeared in the rainbow.**

 **"That is pretty cool." Andi whispered to herself, god messaging, awesome.**

 **"Percy! Squirt!" His scarred face broke into a grin. "Is that Annabeth, too? Thank the gods! Are you guys okay?"**

"...I was fine. Then you showed up again." Ares grumbled.

"No one cares." Hephaestus grunted.

"And eff you too, Crip."

 **"Luke." Huffing at the nickname, Andi pouted as she struggled to look annoyed.**

 **"We're ... uh ... fine," Annabeth stammered. She was madly straightening her T-shirt and trying to comb the loose hair out of her face. "We thought- Chiron- I mean- "**

"Wow, I thought you were good at English, Annabeth."

"McLean, shut up."

 **Andi rolled her eyes at her behavior, geez Annabeth, honestly.**

"See? Andi agrees."

Annabeth gave the smirking girl a heated glare.

 **"He's down at the cabins." Luke's smile faded. "We're having some issues with the campers. Listen, is everything cool with you? Is Grover all right?"**

 **"I'm right here," Grover called. He held the nozzle out to one side and stepped into Luke's line of vision. "What kind of issues?"**

 **Just then a big Lincoln Continental pulled into the car wash with its stereo turned to maximum and booming hip-hop. As the car slid into the next stall, the bass from the subwoofers vibrated so much, it shook the pavement.**

"Hey! Ho! Everybody gonna party in the yard-y!"

"Apollo, stop raising the roof." Rhea chided her grandson.

"Aw...Fine..."

 **"Chiron had to - what's that noise?" Luke yelled.**

 **"I'll take care of it.'" Annabeth yelled back, looking very relieved to have an excuse to get out of sight. "Grover, come on!"**

 **"What?" Grover said. "But-"**

 **"Give Percy the nozzle and come on!" She ordered, her face gaining a faint flush.**

 **Grover muttered about girls being harder to understand than the Oracle at Delphi before he handed Percy the spray gun and followed Annabeth.**

"Eh, well, she's usually a girl, so..." Percy shrugged.

"...So what?" Annabeth asked with a look.

"So...uh..." Percy looked to his fellow males for help, but found none. He hung his head in defeat and sighed. "Insert foot now?"

"That would be smart."

 **After a quick readjusting of the rainbow, both children of the Big Three could now see Luke.**

 **"Chiron had to break up a fight," Luke shouted to them over the music. "Things are pretty tense here, Percy. Word leaked out about the Zeus–Poseidon standoff. We're still not sure how - probably the same scumbag who summoned the hellhound. Now the campers are starting to take sides. It's shaping up like the Trojan War all over again. Aphrodite, Ares, and Apollo are backing Poseidon, more or less. Athena is backing Zeus."**

"Oh, Luke...You moron..." Hermes groaned when both of his uncles glared at him. Why did his boy have to incriminate himself?

"Triple A, we got dis!" Apollo whooped.

"You sided with her and the oaf again? ...Really?" Artemis asked dryly.

"Er...Yeah."

 **Percy shuddered to think that Clarisse's cabin would ever be on his dad's side for anything. And he paled at the thought of having to fight Andi. She was a scary little thing, and he held no qualms of admitting that, especially after she threatened to turn him into a newt once. Andi was frowning too, and Percy had his suspicions why but couldn't be sure.**

 **In the next stall, they could hear Annabeth and some guy arguing with each other, then the music's volume decreased drastically.**

 **"So what's your status?" Luke asked them, briefly throwing a concerned look over his shoulder before turning back to them. "Chiron will be sorry he missed you."**

 **Percy told him pretty much everything, except the dreams, which he only left out because Andi kept stepping on his foot every time he tried to talk about them. They kept talking and they didn't realize how long they had talked until the beeper went off on the spray machine, one minute left it seemed.**

 **"I wish I could be there," Luke told them as he sighed. "We can't help much from here, I'm afraid, but listen...it had to be Hades who took the Master Bolt. He was there at Olympus at the winter solstice. I was chaperoning a field trip and we saw him."**

 **"But Chiron said the gods can't take each other's magic items directly."**

 **"That's true," Luke replied, his brow furrowed. "Still...Hades has the Helm of Darkness. How could anybody else sneak into the throne room and steal the Master Bolt? You'd have to be invisible."**

 **They fell to silence as Andi stiffened at the notion, actually glaring at Luke for suggesting that and the blond realized what he'd said.**

"Man, still a douche." Leo shook his head.

 **"Oh, hey," he protested. "I didn't mean Annabeth. She and I have known each other forever. She would never...I mean, she's like a little sister to me."**

 **Both Percy and Andi winced a tiny bit, yeah, that probably wasn't what Annabeth was pining for.**

"Oh, so close." Aphrodite winced. "Poor little Annabeth...Oh well, that's what Percabeth is for."

 **In the stall next to the demigods, the music stopped completely. A man screamed in terror, car doors slammed, and the Lincoln peeled out of the car wash.**

 **"You'd better go see what that was," Luke said. "Listen, are you wearing the flying shoes? I'll feel better if I know they've done you some good."**

 **"Oh...uh, yeah!" Percy replied, trying his best not to mask the guilt threatening to overtake his tone. "Yeah, they've come in handy."**

 **"Really?" He grinned. "They fit and everything?"**

"Sound a little more eager, why don't you?" Ares asked.

"Shut up, jerk." Hermes scowled.

 **The water shut off. The mist started to evaporate.**

 **"Well, take care of yourself out there in Denver," Luke called, his voice getting fainter. "And tell Grover it'll be better this time! Nobody will get turned into a pine tree if he just-"**

 **A knowing look crossed Andi's face at Luke's words, but Percy couldn't figure out what she had figured out. Maybe he'd ask her later.**

 **The mist was gone, and Luke's image faded to nothing. For a moment the two children of the Big Three were left alone, and the silence was stifling, before Grover and Annabeth came back, laughing, from around the corner; Grover began to say something, but stopped when he saw the black haired childrens' faces. Annabeth's smile faded. "What happened, guys? What did Luke say?"**

 **"Not much," Percy lied, thankful that Andi didn't say anything about what Luke had** _ **really**_ **said.**

 **"Come on, let's find some dinner." Percy said finally, after a moment of awkward silence.**

"Yeah...Awkward is understating it, Percy." Leo mused.

"He's pretty good at that. I mean...He told Hades it would be 'bad'." Annabeth smiled at her brooding boyfriend.

"...You are so lucky you're pretty." Percy muttered.

 **A few minutes later, the questers were sitting at a gleaming chrome booth in a diner. All around them, families were eating burgers and drinking malts and sodas.**

 **Finally the waitress came over. She raised her eyebrow skeptically. "Well?"**

 **Percy said, "We, um, want to order dinner."**

 **"You kids have money to pay for it?"**

 **"Only a little you guys," Andi sighed out, it was tough trying to keep their budget manageable across the states.**

 **Suddenly a rumble shook the whole building; a motorcycle the size of a baby elephant had pulled up to the curb.**

"Aw yeah, cameo time." Ares grinned eagerly.

 **All conversation in the diner stopped. The motorcycle's headlight cast a bloody pallor as it glared at nothing. Its gas tank had flames painted on it, and a shotgun holster was riveted to either side, complete with shotguns. The seat was leather - but leather that looked eerily like Caucasian human skin.**

 **The biker cut the engine and swung off the bike, paying no heed to it's groaning screech or the engine's splutter. He was dressed in a red muscle shirt and black jeans and a black leather duster, with a hunting knife strapped to his thigh. He wore red wraparound shades, and he had the cruelest, most brutal face you'd ever seen - handsome, one could say, but wicked - with an oily black crew cut and cheeks that were scarred from many, many fights. All in all, this guy looked like the kind of person to chew glass and beat bears into the ground when bored.**

 **Arid gales rushed through the diner as he entered, bringing with it the stench of blood baked in the sun and the tang of hungry metal. All the people rose, as if they were hypnotized, but the biker waved his hand dismissively and they all sat down again and went back to their conversations. The waitress blinked, as if somebody had just pressed the rewind button on her brain. She asked them again, "You kids have money to pay for it?"**

 **"It's on me." The biker grunted, sliding into their booth, which was way too small for him, and crowded Annabeth and Grover against the window.**

"Generous of you, Ares." Rhea mused.

"See? I can be nice."

"You should still wash up a bit." Aphrodite chided with a scrunched up nose. Arid gales of blood baked in the sun. Ew.

 **He looked up at the waitress, who was gaping at him, and frowned, "You still here?"**

 **He pointed at her and she stiffened. She turned as if she'd been spun, then marched back toward the kitchen.**

 **The biker turned to looked at Percy and Andi. They couldn't see his eyes behind the red shades, but if Percy's tense body language was anything to go by, he was pumping out something that was making him feel like picking a fight.**

 **Andi was no different; her fists were clenched, and her knuckles were white as wind picked up around her. Her anger was just rising and rising like the temperature outside, and she couldn't stop it. Whatever compulsion this guy was doing was getting the better of her, no matter what exercises Chiron taught her to calm down her powers.**

"Always so eager to pick a fight." Hera sighed.

"Ah, it's fun!"

 **He shot them a wicked grin. "So you're old Seaweed's kid and the old man's new brat, huh?"**

 **Percy's face twisted into a sneer. "What's it to you?"**

 **Annabeth's eyes flashed him a warning. "Percy, this is-"**

 **The biker raised his hand and the child of wisdom immediately fell silent, her mouth snapping shut with an audible click.**

 **"S'okay," he shrugged. "I don't mind a little attitude. S'long as you remember who's the boss. You know who I am, little cousin?"**

 **"Only someone like you could make someone this pissed off just by sitting with them," Andi replied coolly, sucking in deep breaths. She already knew who this god is, joy, a family meet and greet.**

"Give your bro a big hug, brat." Ares urged with a grin.

 **His scarred visage turned to Andi, and that unsettling grin curved further, showing far too many teeth. "Well, go on then, tell the water boy who's in front of him, little sister."**

 **"Why don't you," the daughter of Zeus shot back, "You've already shown you love to make an entrance,** _ **big brother**_ **," she spat.**

 **If anything, the biker's grin widened further.**

 **"You're Clarisse's dad," Percy said at last. "Ares, god of war."**

 **Ares grinned and took off his shades. Where his eyes should've been, there was only fire, empty sockets glowing with miniature nuclear explosions. "That's right, punk. I heard you broke Clarisse's spear."**

 **"She was asking for it." Percy glared at the god.**

 **"Probably. That's cool. I don't fight my kids' fights, you know? What I'm here for - I heard two you were in town. I got a little proposition for you."**

"Don't do it! Prostitution and drug trafficking is illegal!"

"Screw you, Sunspot!"

 **The waitress came back with heaping trays of food - cheeseburgers, fries, onion rings, and chocolate shakes.**

 **Ares handed her a few gold drachmas.**

 **She looked nervously at the coins. "But, these aren't..."**

 **Ares pulled out his huge knife and started cleaning his fingernails. "Problem, sweetheart?"**

 **The waitress swallowed, then left with the gold.**

 **"You can't do that," Percy told Ares. "You can't just threaten people with a knife."**

 **Andi snorted, "At least do it with some class instead of acting like a low level thug." The girl said, resting her elbow on the table and started to eat her cheeseburger.**

 **Ares laughed at the kids, clearly amused. "Are you kidding? I love this country. Best place since Sparta. Don't you carry a weapon, punk? You should. Dangerous world out there." He told the sea child, before turning to his demigod half-sister, "And why should I? Geez, got Arte's and owl brain's snooty attitude much?" He mocked as she just growled at him. "Aw, you sound like a baby tiger. I think I skinned one alive just last week."**

Artemis seethed while Athena glared at her brother.

"You know, that's a common theme with Zeus' daughters..." Poseidon mused. "Always so snooty..."

"Poseidon." Rhea gave him a look. "One more like that..."

"Yes mother."

 **He mused in thought and shook his head before returning to the matter at hand. "Anyway, got a proposition for two little newbies like you. I need a favor."**

 **"What favor could I do for a god?" Percy asked, his fading tolerance clear in his tone.**

 **"Something a god doesn't have time to do himself."**

 _ **Or is too lazy to do himself,**_ **Andi thought to herself.**

 **"It's nothing much." Ares continued, "I left my shield at an abandoned water park here in town. I was going on a little ... date with my girlfriend."His sister blanched, not wanting to hear anything about that. "We were interrupted. I left my shield behind. I want you to fetch it for me."**

 **"Why don't you go back and get it yourself?!" Percy shot back.**

 **The fire in his eye sockets pulsed a little more violently, the bloody glow brightening as it did.**

 **"Why don't I turn you into a prairie dog and run you over with my Harley? Because I don't feel like it. A god is giving you an opportunity to prove yourself, Percy Jackson. Will you prove yourself a coward?" He leaned forward, that unmistakable sneer back on his face. "Or maybe you only fight when there's a river to dive into, so your daddy can protect you. Chaos knows the midget's got more game then you do." He mocked while pointing his finger at Andi, who just glared at him for the comment as she sipped her shake.**

"If she's got more game than me, does that mean she's got more game then you, since, you know, I beat you?" Percy asked.

"...Oh you little, I'll fffffff-mmmph!" Ares seethed behind the plate that appeared over his mouth and his sunglasses melted from the intensity of his glare.

"...I don't know if you're stupid, Percy, or if you have the biggest cohones I've _ever_ seen on someone." Leo mumbled.

"He's stupid." Annabeth and Thalia answered, the latter earning a glare from her cousin.

Thalia shrugged it off.

 **Percy very obviously wanted to punch this guy, but it was also clear that the son of Poseidon didn't want to give the war god the satisfaction of him succumbing to his goading.**

 **"We're not interested," Percy said. "We've already got a quest."**

 **Andi didn't even answer, finding her food better company than her godly brother.**

Ares would've called her something less than savory that would've infuriated his immortal sisters, aunts, grandmother and mother, were it not for the steel over his mouth.

 **"I know all about your quest, punk. When that item was first stolen, Zeus sent his best out looking for it: Apollo, Athena, Artemis, and me, naturally. If I couldn't sniff out a weapon that powerful..." He licked his lips, as if the very thought of the Master Bolt made him hungry.**

"Or aroused." Hermes snickered.

"It wouldn't be the first time." Aphrodite tittered.

Ares gave her a betrayed glare.

Hephaestus smirked. "I knew he humped the minigun."

 **"Well...if I couldn't find it, you've got no hope. Nevertheless, I'm trying to give you the benefit of the doubt. Your dad and I go way back. After all, I'm the one who told him my suspicions about old Corpse Breath."**

 **"You told him Hades stole the bolt?" Andi asked with clear skepticism in her tone, taking another sip of her milkshake.**

 **"Sure. Framing somebody to start a war. Oldest trick in the book. I recognized it immediately. In a way, you got me to thank for your little quest."**

 **"Thanks," Percy grumbled.**

 **"Hey, I'm a generous guy. Just do my little job, and I'll help you on your way. I'll even arrange a ride west for you and your friends."**

"Worst. Ride. Ever." Percy grumbled. It stank to high heavens in that truck.

Poseidon gave Ares a pointed glare for the mistreatment of the zebra.

 **"We're doing fine on our own." Percy gritted out, obviously not wanting his help whatsoever.**

 **"Yeah, right. Little money. No wheels. No clue what you're up against. And sponging off the little witch here to do most of the lifting. Help me out, and maybe I'll tell you something you need to know. Something about your mom."**

 **Percy's eyes flew to Ares'. "My mom?"**

 **He grinned. "That got your attention."**

 **"How do we know this is legit?" Andi scoffed, cleaning her mouth with a napkin, "And not just some petty trick to get what you want and then you say 'Yeah, she's dead'." She finished in a deep burly tone.**

 **The god, unfazed, merely returned Andi's scorn with a throaty chuckle. "Hey, hey, I wouldn't lie about stuff like that, scout's honor." Both the god and Andi snorted at that last statement, "The water park is a mile west on Delancey. You can't miss it. Look for the Tunnel of Love ride."**

"Bow-chika-bow-wow, bow-chi-hurk!" Apollo was cut off as the edge of Artemis' hand chopped him in the throat. He struggled for divine air while his twin glared at her rival, who was smirking at Apollo's joke.

 **"What interrupted your date?" Percy asked, his voice holding a taunting tone, "Something scare you off?"**

 **Ares bared his teeth, so that's where Clarisse got that look. There was something false about it though, almost like he was nervous.**

 **"You're lucky you met me, punk, and not one of the other Olympians. They're not as forgiving of rudeness as I am. I'll meet you back here when you're done. Don't disappoint me."**

"Bull!" Apollo and Hermes glared at the war god, who glared right back.

 **They must have blinked or something, because one moment he was there and the next it was like he was never there, but Grover and Annabeth's expressions told them otherwise.**

 **"Not good, not good, this is not good at all!" Grover shivered, his voice jumping as he did. "Ares sought you guys out. This is bad."**

 **Percy stared out the window, Andi snuck a glance of her own. The motorcycle had disappeared.**

 **"It's probably some kind of trick like Andi said," Percy decided with a shake of his head. "Forget Ares. Let's just go."**

 **"We can't," Annabeth grudgingly interjected. "Look, I hate Ares as much as anybody, but you don't ignore the gods unless you want serious bad fortune. He wasn't kidding about turning you into a rodent."**

"He still might do it if your dad doesn't stop glaring at him." Frank muttered. He hated having his Greek godly father's voice in his head. It was annoying.

 **The sea spawn looked at his burger with a grimace, probably not feeling all that hungry now. "Why does he need us?"**

 **"Maybe it's a problem that requires brains," Annabeth shrugged. "Ares has strength. That's all he has. Even strength has to bow to wisdom sometimes."**

Athena smirked and Ares glared double-ly hard at her.

 **"Bethy, he's a war god for a reason," Andi spoke in a cold tone, "Just because your mum is the strategy goddess, doesn't mean he just has muscle between his ears."**

 **"Defending him, Andi?" Came the bland retort of the blonde.**

 **"Hell no, I'm being cautious is all. Something spooked him, and we have to deal with it now."**

"I spooked you did I?" Hephaestus smiled lightly. He put a hand to his ear. "What was that, Ares? ...Nothing to say?"

Ares flipped him the bird.

 **The sky child frowned in thought, mulling over what little info Ares had given the group. Whatever it was that scared Ares, it didn't bode well for them — the war god wasn't one to run away for no reason.**

 **The other three glanced nervously at each other. Percy sighed and pushed his plate away.**

 **"Joy."**

"Everyone's reaction to dealing with Ares." Apollo chuckled.

Ares' eye twitched and he started to pull at the sheet of metal that was welded over his face.

 **The sun was sinking behind the Rocky Mountains by the time they found the water park. Judging from the sign, it had once been called WATERLAND, but now some of the letters were smashed out, so it read WAT R A D.**

"...What the hell is the point of that? Seriously, it's been driving me nuts!" Thalia groaned.

"Right!?" Percy rubbed his eyes. "I know it's from something...but _what_!?"

Annabeth shook her head. It was just their ADHD acting up.

 **The main gate was rusted and rotting, but padlocked and topped with barbed wire. Inside, huge dry waterslides and tubes and pipes slithered everywhere, leading to empty pools. Old tickets and advertisements fluttered around the asphalt. With the impending approach of night, the place felt...odd, sad, almost...**

 **"If Ares brings his girlfriend here for a date," Percy deadpanned, staring up at the barbed wire, he couldn't quite decide if that was rust or dried blood. "I'd hate to see what she looks like."**

"I'll have to remember that." Artemis smirked.

"It's _not_ funny!" Aphrodite huffed.

"Obviously, you don't have a sense of humor."

"I do so!"

"If you did, you'd know that was funny."

"Oh, go rot in your virgin pit, Artemis."

 **"Percy," Annabeth warned. "Be more respectful."**

 **"Why? I thought you hated Ares." The boy asked, surprised by Annabeth's apparent defense of Ares.**

 **"He's still a god. And his girlfriend is** _ **very**_ **temperamental." Annabeth said, taking a side-glance at Andi who seemed determined to pretend this whole conversation was not happening, as she chanted an** _ **Alohomora**_ **, getting the padlock to snap open and fall to the ground.**

 **"You also really don't want to insult her looks," Grover added.**

 **"Who is she? Echidna?" Percy joked.**

"That's also a keeper." Artemis mused with a smirk.

"I will have Eros chase you, Artemis, I swear it." Aphrodite hissed.

"As if that would be 'archer' could hit me before I hit him." Artemis scoffed.

 **"No, Aphrodite," Grover replied, a little dreamily. "Goddess of love."**

 **"I thought she was married to somebody," Percy said, eager to steer the topic away from his brutish cousin. "Hephaestus."**

 **"What's your point?" Grover asked with a raised eyebrow, rubbing his rear.**

"Ah, immortal marriages, aren't they grand?" Apollo chuckled and then winced as Hera glared at him.

 **"Oh."**

 **The shadows grew long as they walked through the park, checking out the attractions. There was AnkleBiter Island, Head Over Wedgie, and Dude, Where's My Swimsuit?**

 **No monsters came to get them. Nothing made the slightest noise.**

 **"I am** _ **not**_ **liking this." Andi muttered, hand clenched tightly around her keychain, eyes swiveling around relentlessly; she felt eyes on her. They found a souvenir shop that had been left open. Merchandise still lined the shelves: snow globes, pencils, postcards, and racks of-**

 **"Clothes," Annabeth sighed in relief. "Fresh clothes."**

 **"Yeah," Percy agreed. "But you can't just-"**

 **"Oh, I want a souvenir." Andi smiled, as she eyed the snow globes and postcards, snagging two of each.**

"And you called me a kelpto, Inviso-beth." Piper smirked.

"...Shut up, McLean!"

 **"Watch me." Annabeth smirked at him.**

 **The blonde snatched an entire row of clothes off the racks and disappeared into the changing room. A few minutes later she came out in Waterland flower-print shorts, a big red Waterland T-shirt, and commemorative Waterland surf shoes. A Waterland backpack was slung over her shoulder, obviously stuffed with more goodies.**

 **"Looks good on you Bethy." Andi winked at her, getting a small smile back, "Well, when in Rome," she shrugged.**

"What? What do you do when in Rome? I need to know!" Leo cried out dramatically.

"Shut up." Nico grunted as he smacked Leo upside the head.

 **The sky daughter changed into a similar outfit as Annabeth, but her shirt was yellow and she still wore her hoodie and hi-tops.**

 **"What the heck." Grover shrugged. Soon, all of them were decked out like walking advertisements for the defunct theme park.**

 **They continued searching for the Tunnel of Love. "So Ares and Aphrodite," Percy began, "they have a thing going?"**

 **"That's old gossip, Percy," Annabeth told him. "Three-thousand-year-old gossip."**

"Geez, Percy, get with the program already."

"Leo, shut up."

 **"And something I don't want to hear anymore about, seriously, shut up." Andi grumped, a pretty pout on her face. Not surprising, Percy wouldn't want to hear about the love lives of his siblings', divine or otherwise, either.** _ **Especially**_ **if one of them was like the meathead. That didn't stop him from asking more about it though, he was just too curious.**

 **"What about Aphrodite's husband?"**

 **Andi just groaned and marched ahead, grumbling about stupid seaweed brains, and not wanting to be anywhere near this conversation.**

 **"Well, you know," Annabeth said quietly. "Hephaestus. The blacksmith. He was crippled when he was a baby, thrown off Mount Olympus by Zeus.**

"Wrong." The children and siblings of Zeus, save for a muted Ares, all chorused.

Rhea sent Hera a look of disapproval, but kept it brief since she'd already given Hera a piece of her mind about that decision.

Hera merely had a scowl on her face.

 **So he isn't exactly handsome. Clever with his hands,**

"That's what she said!"

"Hermes!"

 **and all and hard-working to boot, but Aphrodite isn't into brains and talent, you know?"**

 **"She likes bikers."**

 **"Whatever."**

 **"Hephaestus knows?"**

 **"Oh sure," Annabeth said. "He caught them together once. I mean, literally caught them, in a golden net, and invited all the gods to come and laugh at them. Hephaestus is always trying to embarrass them. That's why they meet in out-of-the-way places, like-"**

 **She stopped, looking straight ahead. "Like that." She pointed, Andi was already there, rubbing her temples and muttering to herself.**

"Well, gee, I wonder why he was so scared?" Hephaestus smirked at his 'wife' in name only while she glared back at him.

 **In front of them was an empty pool, one could say it was perfect for skateboarding. It was at least fifty yards across and shaped like a bowl.**

 **Around the rim, a dozen bronze statues of Cupid stood guard with wings spread and bows ready to fire. On the opposite side from them, a tunnel opened up, probably where the water flowed into when the pool was full. The sign above it read, THRILL RIDE O' LOVE: THIS IS NOT YOUR PARENTS' TUNNEL OF LOVE!**

"It really isn't." Annabeth grumbled.

Hephaestus chuckled lowly while Athena glared at him.

 **Grover crept toward the edge. "Guys, look."**

 **Marooned at the bottom of the pool was a pink-and-white two-seater boat with a canopy over the top and little hearts painted all over it. In the left seat, glinting in the fading light, was Ares' shield, a polished circle of bronze.**

 **"This is too easy," Percy grimaced. "So we just walk down there and get it?"**

 **"I'd fly down there," Andi stated, "But no way am I going anywhere near where those two could have been doing nooky." She finished with a shudder.**

 **They all shuddered along with her.**

"And now _that_ image is in my head. Thank you Andi." Piper glowered.

 **Annabeth walked over and ran her fingers along the base of the nearest Cupid statue.**

 **"There's a Greek letter carved here," she mused. "Eta. I wonder..."**

 **"Grover," Andi called, getting over her shivers, "d'you smell any monsters?"**

 **"Nothing."**

 **"Nothing like, in-the-Arch-and-you-didn't-smell-Echidna nothing, or nothing-as-in-really-nothing?" Percy asked.**

 **Grover looked hurt. "I told you, that was underground."**

 **"Okay, I'm sorry." Percy took a deep breath. "I'm going down there."**

 **"I'll go with you." Grover didn't sound too enthusiastic, maybe he wanted to try and make up for what had happened in St. Louis. That's what Percy assumed.**

 **"No," Percy told him firmly. "I want you to stay up top with the flying shoes. You and fly girl here are our Blue Angels, remember? I'll be counting on you guys for backup, in case something goes wrong."**

 **Andi rolled her eyes with a small smirk on her face as Grover puffed up his chest a little. "Sure. But what could go wrong?"**

"That's, like, the exact opposite of what he should say in this situation." Thalia snickered.

 **"Grover," Andi's head hung, "Don't** _ **ever**_ **say that!" she bemoaned, and Percy could empathise. Gover had just jinxed them.**

 **Percy turned to daughter of Athena, "I don't know. Just a feeling. Annabeth, come with me-"**

 **Andi burst into laughter as Annabeth glared at her, cheeks aflame, "Are you kidding?" She looked at him as if he was stupid.**

"Oh, so _this_ is where she realized she had a crush on him, right?"

"Piper!" Annabeth shrieked.

"Yes! Good job, sweetie!" Aphrodite cheered with a smile.

 **"What's the problem now?" Percy demanded, wanting to get this over with.**

 **"Me, go with you to the...the 'Thrill Ride of Love'? How embarrassing is that? What if somebody saw me?"**

"...Who would see you?" Jason asked.

"Anyone could've!" Annabeth protested.

"Like us. Or the gods." Piper explained.

"Exactly!"

"Including my mom."

"It's right here when I coined the phrase 'Percabeth'." Aphrodite explained matter-of-factly.

 **"I will!"**

 **"Shut up Andi!" Annabeth shouted, hands on her hips as her stormy grey eyes glared heatedly at the black haired girl's mirthful electric blue orbs.**

 **"Nemesis is calling Bethy, and she is calling** _ **hard**_ **." Andi grinned like the Cheshire cat.**

"Like Percy will be."

"LEO VALDEZ!" Hera, Hestia and Rhea shouted at the demigod.

Percy's cheeks burned bright red while his friends and father let out belly laughs.

 **"But you-!"**

 **"I said if** _ **you**_ **never spoke of it Wise Girl, I never said** _ **I**_ **wouldn't get you back." The child of Zeus' smirk widened, looking positively predatory.**

 **"…You are the devil."**

 **"I thank you for your kind words."**

 **Percy's own face was burning now too. Leave it to a girl to make everything complicated. "Fine," he huffed. "I'll do it myself." But when he started down the side of the pool, Annabeth followed him, muttering about how boys always messed things up.**

 **"You two look amazing together~!"**

"I think we all agree on that." Piper nodded.

"Ugh, gods, kill me!" Annabeth groaned.

"No." The gods denied.

 **"I'll kill you for this, Andi!"**

 **"Love you too, Bethy!"**

 **The two reached the boat. The shield was propped on one seat, next to it was a hot pink lady's silk scarf. As Percy looked around, he wondered why they would want to meet out here when he figured it out - with all the mirrors that lined the pool, they could see every angle of themselves. Wow, talk about egotistical.**

"That was done for Dite." Apollo smirked. "She wanted to be able to see Ares' ugly mug from all angles."

"As if! I wanted to see myself from all angles!" Aphrodite tittered.

"...Honestly, how is that any better?" Artemis asked.

 **There was a flash of a camera, both turned up to see Andi flying above them with a Waterland disposable camera, "Hi~!" Her tone was mock cheery as she waved.**

 **"They won't find the body." Was the growling promise from the blonde girl.**

"No. No they won't." Annabeth nodded.

"I'm sure with time-"

"Percy, a child of Athena orchestrated Jimmy Hoffa's disappearance."

"...Oh..."

 **All she got was a face splitting smile as Andi stuffed the camera into her bag for safekeeping.**

 **Percy picked up the scarf. It shimmered like a pink river, and the perfume was indescribable-rose, or mountain laurel. Something good. The water boy smiled, a little dreamily, and was about to rub the scarf against his cheek when Annabeth ripped it out of his hand and stuffed it in her pocket. "Oh, no you don't. Stay away from that love magic."**

 **"I think Annabeth is just afraid of some competition with a scarf!" The sky child giggled from the air, holding her sides from the pain of laughter.**

 **"Shut up already!" Annabeth flushed further from Andi's commentary.**

 **"What?" Percy asked her, blinking, love magic?**

 **"Just get the shield, Seaweed Brain, and let's get out of here."**

 **The moment he touched the shield, something snapped.**

"No! One of my French nails!" Leo wailed dramatically.

 **"Wait," Annabeth cautioned, hearing it.**

 **"Too late."**

 **"There's another Greek letter on the side of the boat, another Eta. This is a trap."**

"Wow, you guys goofed up." Thalia snorted.

She ignored the glare from her friends.

 **"…You two done goofed."**

 **"I want to strangle her, I really do." Annabeth muttered, "Stupid Airhead."**

"I feel you. I want to strangle her and her sister." Annabeth mumbled.

"Annie!"

"Maybe Jason, too."

Jason sputtered. "What did I do!?"

"It'd be to spite Piper." Annabeth mumbled.

 **Noise erupted all around them, of a million gears grinding, as if the whole pool were turning into one giant machine.**

 **"Guys!" Grover yelled, pointing to the edge of the pool.**

 **Up on the rim, the Cupid statues were drawing their bows into firing position. Before Percy could say anything, they let fly, but not at the two kids. They fired at each other, across the rim of the pool. Silky cables trailed from the arrows, arcing over the pool and anchoring where they landed to form a huge golden asterisk. Then smaller metallic threads started weaving together magically between the main strands, making a net.**

 **"We have to get out here."**

 **"No duh, seaweed brain!" Annabeth said to him.**

 **Percy grabbed ahold of the shield and they ran, but going up the slope of the pool was not as easy as going down.**

"Yeah, that whole gravity thing really seems to bring you down." Nico smirked.

"...Okay, that was pretty good." Percy muttered.

 **"Come on!" Grover shouted.**

 **He was trying to hold open a section of the net for them, but wherever he touched it, the golden threads started to wrap around his hands.**

"Whoa, bondage, much?" Hermes asked.

"She's never complained before when she's been tied up," Apollo said under his breath. Eyes turned to him and he blinked. "What?"

"You're disgusting." Artemis drawled.

"And?"

"...Never mind. My words would be wasted."

 **The Cupids' heads popped open. Out came video cameras. Spotlights rose up all around the pool, blinding them with light, and a loudspeaker voice boomed: "Live to Olympus in one minute...Fifty-nine seconds, fifty-eight..."**

 **"Hephaestus!" Annabeth screamed. "I'm so stupid. 'Eta is H.' He made this trap to catch his wife with Ares. Now we're going to be broadcast live to Olympus and look like absolute fools!"**

"Classic." Hermes chuckled.

 **It was then that one of the dozen cameras met an arrow, utterly shattering it.**

 **Andi flew above the center of the statues, bow out and wind swirling around her arms; as she pulled the string of her bow back the wind seemed to coalesce into a solid, cloudy white arrow that sat as if perfectly nocked and ready to fire.**

"She'd better not..." Hephaestus frowned.

 **Suddenly, the mirrors opened up and from these new openings came out thousands of tiny metal-**

 **"Spiders!" Annabeth screamed. "Sp-sp-aaaah!" She fell back in terror, overwhelmed. Grunting, Percy dragged her back up and back to the boat.**

"That is all Athena's fault." Aphrodite huffed.

"How is that my fault!?" Athena hissed.

"Arachne."

Athena glared at her, then at Poseidon, who had the audacity to snicker.

 **Andi had taken out cameras two and three, doing little flips in the air during her shots for fun; enjoying herself as she hummed some theme song. She slowed down the rate she was destroying them though, taking longer and longer between shots.**

 **The tiny spiders came in the millions, no doubt to help humiliate Ares and Aphrodite, seems they were going to get that hospitality instead.**

 **Annabeth and Percy climbed back into the boat. He started kicking away the spiders as they swarmed aboard. The son of the sea yelled at Annabeth to help him, but she was too paralyzed to do much more than scream.**

"Well, at least Percy knows what she sounds like when she finishes."

"APOLLO!"

 **Camera four was out of the picture.**

 **"Thirty, twenty-nine," called the loudspeaker.**

 **The fifth camera joined the count too, a arrow hitting it right in the lens.**

"Little brat." Hephaestus frowned.

 **The spiders started spitting out strands of metal thread, trying to tie the captured kids down. The strands were easy enough to break at first, but there were so many of them, and the spiders just kept coming. Percy kicked one away from Annabeth's leg and its pincers took a chunk out of his new surf shoe.**

 **Grover hovered above the pool in his flying sneakers, trying to pull the net loose, but it wouldn't budge.**

"Satyr fail." Leo snickered.

 **Camera six was out. Andi paused in her shooting then, and then begun lining up her next shot deliberately slowly.**

"Drumroll!" Apollo called out. A drum materialized in his lap and he began to perform the action.

 _ **Think,**_ **Percy told himself.** _ **Think.**_

 **The Tunnel of Love entrance was under the net. They could use it as an exit, except that it was blocked by a million robot spiders.**

 **"Fifteen, fourteen," the loudspeaker called.**

 **Camera seven was blasted by a half dozen arrows that served to turn it into an, admittedly poor, imitation of a piece of swiss cheese, Andi was getting real creative with her Cupid killings.**

"...What a waste of arrows..." Artemis mumbled.

"Aww, all that build up and no pay off." Apollo frowned as he made the drum vanish.

 _ **Water,**_ **Percy thought.** _ **Where does the ride's water come from?**_

 **Then he saw them: huge water pipes behind the mirrors, where the spiders had come from. And up above the net, next to one of the destroyed Cupids, a glass-windowed booth that must be the controller's station.**

 **"Grover!" he yelled. "Get into that booth! Find the 'on' switch!"**

 **"But-"**

 **"Do it!" It was their only chance. The spiders were all over the prow of the boat now. Annabeth was screaming her head off. He had to get them out of there.**

 **Grover was in the controller's booth now, slamming away at the buttons.**

 **"Five, four-"**

 **Grover looked up at Percy hopelessly, raising his hands. He pushed every button, nothing was happening.**

 **Percy closed his eyes and focused on that all too familiar tug in his stomach from his training with Andi.**

 **"Two, one,"**

 **BOOM! With a loud explosion, the ground shook.**

"Hades, control yourself."

Hades rolled his eyes at his mother's joke.

… **Camera eight exploded as a arrow coated in spiraling winds stuck it. Andi cheered at this, she'd finally figured out how to make an arrow out of the wind that was both an arrow and wind at the same time. And like she'd imagined, they were so much more destructive than the plain ol' normal arrows she'd been creating from the wind.**

 **"Zero!" Andi spotted a satisfied grin as this.**

 **Andi was definitely pleased with her work, not only had she been to practice interesting trick shots on the first few cameras but now she'd be able to use all that practice to good use and demonstrate all her skills with the bow for her Olympian audience.**

 **She really hoped she put on a good show.**

"...How will we see it if all the cameras are destroyed?" Apollo asked.

 **Water exploded out of the pipes. It roared into the pool, sweeping away the spiders. Percy pulled Annabeth into the seat next to him and fastened her seat belt just as the tidal wave slammed into the boat, over the top, whisking the spiders away and dousing them completely, but not capsizing the kids. The boat turned, lifted in the flood, and spun in circles around the whirlpool.**

 **The water was full of short-circuiting spiders, some of them smashing against the pool's concrete wall with such force they burst.**

 **Above them Andi was suddenly all gung ho about destroying the cameras again. She was doing all kinds of elaborate aerial moves in between her shots and deliberately making the shots tricky by firing when she was in the most awkward positions. Basically she was showing off. Percy would have growled at her, but right now he was too concerned with more immediate problems to even notice.**

"She is acting far too much like Zeus at the moment." Hera mused. "Shouldn't he be back out here?"

"He's got one more chapter," Rhea said firmly.

 **Percy willed the boat to ride the currents, trying to stay away from the walls. Maybe it was his imagination, but the boat seemed to be listening. With one more spin, the water level was now almost high enough to shred them against the metal net. Responding to his will, the boat's nose turned toward the tunnel and they rocketed through into the darkness.**

 **As they entered the tunnel, Percy distantly noticed one of the cameras, presumably the last one, explode and Andi exclaim, "And that's how it's done." If he had looked back, he would have noticed the girl give a courtly bow to the wreckage almost as if the whole thing was nothing more than some kind of performance.**

"...We almost died and she was putting on a show..." Percy and Annabeth drawled.

It was official.

They didn't like this Andi.

 **Annabeth and Percy held tight, both screaming as the boat shot around curls and hugged corners and took forty-five-degree plunges past pictures of Romeo and Juliet and a bunch of other Valentine's Day stuff.**

Apollo snapped a photo with a polaroid camera and shook out the developing picture. He held it up and smiled.

"Ah, memories," he said with a smile.

 **Then they got out of the tunnel, the night air whistling through their hair as the boat barreled straight toward the exit.**

 **If the ride had been in working order, they would've sailed off a ramp between the golden Gates of Love and splashed down safely in the exit pool. But there was a problem. The Gates of Love were chained. Two boats that had been washed out of the tunnel before them were now piled against the barricade - one submerged, the other cracked in half.**

 **"Unfasten your seat belt," Percy yelled to Annabeth.**

 **"Are you crazy?"**

 **"Unless you want to get smashed to death." he strapped Ares's shield to his arm. "We're going to have to jump for it." His idea was simple and insane. As the boat struck, they would use its force like a springboard to jump the gate. With luck, they would land in the pool.**

 **Annabeth seemed to understand. She gripped his hand as the gates got closer.**

"Nothing like a near death experience or seven to bring two people closer together." Leo sighed and interlaced his hands under his chin. "Isn't it romantic?"

"So very romantic!" Aphrodite nodded vigorously.

"...Mom, he was kid-Oof!" Piper rubbed her side where Leo elbowed her.

"Shush, before she decides to screw with my love life."

 **"On my mark," Percy announced.**

 **"No! On my mark!"**

 **"What?"**

 **"Simple physics!" She yelled. "Force times the trajectory angle-"**

 **"Fine." He shouted. "On your mark!"**

"You should really learn the math." Annabeth chided.

"It wasn't exactly the best time to have a lesson." Percy drawled.

 **She hesitated...hesitated...then yelled, "Now!"**

 **Crack!**

 **Annabeth was right. If they'd jumped when he thought, they would have been kissing the gate. She got them maximum lift.**

 **Unfortunately, that was a little more than they needed. The boat smashed into the pileup and they were thrown into the air, straight over the gates, over the pool, and down toward solid asphalt.**

 **The wind rushed around them as Percy felt his free arm get caught by something and looked up to see his cousin. He noted that in the spotlights, she seemed like a luminous fairy; flying in the night sky, electric blue eyes shining, white streaked smile ever present on her face.**

 **Grover managed to grab Annabeth by hooking his arms under hers, but she had a lot of momentum from the jump, making him struggle until Andi used her air powers to stabilize him.**

 **"Least you ain't screaming like a girl this time," Andi smirked down at Percy.**

"...Didn't she like, almost kill me?" Percy asked.

 **"Oh shut up."**

 **Percy couldn't fight the smile off his face.**

"Apparently you've forgiven her." Annabeth muttered.

"...I'm an idiot."

"You said it not us." Nico noted.

 **"Don't wanna~" Andi winked at him, "I live to save damsels after all."**

 **The son of the sea didn't care, he just laughed. He had the best cousin ever. If Percy had bothered to take a look at Annabeth and the angry looks she was sending Andi, he would've realized how alone he was in his positive opinion about his cousin.**

 **They landed safely on the ground as Percy looked back at the Thrill Ride of Love. The water was subsiding. The boat had been smashed to pieces against the gates.**

 **Even with the cameras destroyed, the spotlights still shined, as if waiting for something.**

 **"Show's over!" Percy yelled with a grin. "Thank you! Good night!"**

 **"You've been a lovely audience!" Andi added with a giggle.**

"Boo! I want a refund! I demand a refund!"

"Shut up, Leo." Hazel chided the snickering tinkerer.

 **The lights shut off. The park went quiet and dark again, except for the gentle trickle of water into the Thrill Ride of Love's exit pool.**

 **"I bet our ratings would have been fantastic." Andi assured the group.**

 **It was at this point that Annabeth couldn't hold back anymore. Turning suddenly to face Andi, the daughter of Athena leveled a scathing look at the shorter girl and hissed, "Andi, what in the name of Olympus did you think you were doing back there?!"**

 **"Annabeth, what-?" Percy began, only to be cut off by the blonde.**

 **"Answer me Andromeda!" Annabeth shouted.**

"...Oh snap, Annabeth's gone postal." Thalia blinked.

"Meh, seen worse," Apollo said.

 **"I don't know what you're talking about." Andi tried to deflect even as she looked around nervously. "I was helping you and Percy."**

 **Percy made to say something again, but Grover just put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head to signal to the child of the seas to stay out of this.**

 **"By showing off?" The furious child of wisdom accused.**

 **"I can't show off some of my skills while I help my friends-" Andi tried to defend herself, but Annabeth would have none of it.**

 **"Help your friends? With what? You spent the whole time destroying those cameras-"**

 **"And that saved Percy and you from humiliating yourselves in front of the gods, didn't it?" Andi shot back, obviously getting angry that Annabeth was questioning her.**

 **"Really? Because you clearly weren't doing so well. Slowing down your shots so there would be enough cameras to broadcast you destroying the last few of them live to Olympus? Deliberately doing aerial stunts and using trick shots when destroying those last few cameras? You were showing off, admit it!"**

 **"So what!?" Andi hissed in return. "I can't even make myself look good in front of my dad?"**

 **"Even at the expense of your friends?" Grover asked with a hint of disapproval. "You spent all your time showing off that you didn't do anything to help Annabeth or Percy at all."**

"Ouch, even Grover got in on that." Thalia winced.

"And that, my friends, is when you know it be real." Percy nodded.

"What is real?" Leo asked.

"The mess up you just did."

"...Do you even hear yourself talk?"

"I drift in and out."

 **Andi just looked away. Annabeth and Grover just sent her unhappy looks.**

 **"Guys, enough!" Percy said firmly into this tense standoff. "So Andi didn't help us with the spiders because she was too busy showing off, but she** _ **did**_ **save us from turning into pancakes, right? So I say we're all even."**

 **"She only did that because the cameras had stopped-" Annabeth tried to rebut, but Percy wouldn't let her continue the argument.**

 **"Annabeth, enough!" Percy said with finality, a firm look on his face. "Unless you forgot people, and goat, we're on a quest to stop World War Three, god edition! We don't have time for this. So enough is enough. Okay?"**

"...You know it's time to stop when Percy becomes the voice of reason."

"Ow, Wise Girl. Ow." Percy sent a pout to his snickering girlfriend while the rest of the demigods laughed.

 **The other three questers gave reluctant nods.**

 **"So if that's settled." Percy hefted the shield on his arm and turned to the group. "We need to have a little talk with Ares."**

 **"Great," was Andi's sarcastic retort, clearly not really eager for another meeting with the god of brutality.**

"Nor am I excited to hear his voice, but his punishment has ended, as has Zeus'." Rhea commented. She looked to the door and nodded. "Zeus, you can rejoin us."

A boom of thunder and a flash of lightning filled the room before the king returned.

He did not look pleased.

"...So, who wants to read next?" Piper asked nervously, the tension in the air getting to her.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

 **The Ever Twisting Wind: The Lightning Thief**

 **Chapter Ten: We Sweep Vegas**

"I'll read," Frank said quickly.

 **Annabeth's POV**

 **Ares was waiting for us at the diner's parking lot, leaning carelessly on his bike and looking bored. Our arrival was punctuated with a sharp whistle as Ares' head snapped up like it was on a spring, his arm already extended as his shield whirled into it with a thump like a discus. Andi, because Gods who else could it have been, had her most innocent look plastered firmly on her face while Percy looked slightly constipated as small bits of strangled laughter escaped.**

 _ **Idiots! How reckless can they be?**_ **I seethed as I reluctantly walked alongside the two** _ **absolutely suicidally idiotic**_ **children of the Big Three.**

"That...Yeah, actually, that sums all of us up pretty accurately." Hermes nodded.

His siblings did not argue.

 _ **Attacking the war god? Do they want to make him our enemy? Do they want this already impossible quest to become even harder?**_ **Shooting a cursory glance at a nervous Grover, I gave him as reassuring a smile as I could muster.** _ **Well, at least Grover still has some sense of self-preservation.**_

 **Ares raised an eyebrow. "And that was?"**

 **The daughter of Zeus just gave him a blindingly fake smile. "Why, dearest big brother, I was merely playing Frisbee with your shield. Percy and his butterfingers failed to catch it."**

 **"You overshot it." Percy mock-argued.**

 **"Semantics."**

 _ **Right! Now toy with the god who could kill us on a whim.**_ **I groused, but kept my tongue in check. All things considered, anything I might say was liable to make the situation worse.**

 **Ares just laughed. "Cute. Really cute."**

 **"Well, I do try." Andi assured the god.**

 **"Still," the war god said, shooting the group an appraising glance, "you didn't get yourselves killed."**

"Shame."

"Ares, would you like another plate?"

"...I'll be g- _good_..."

 **"You knew it was a trap," Percy accused, a frown on his face.**

"It's a Trap!"

"Apollo, I swear if you ever scream that again in my presence, I will castrate you." Artemis warned severely.

"...Yes sis."

 _ **Duh, why did you think he sent us there in the first place, Seaweed Brain!**_ **I snapped in the safety of mind. I did not appreciate how the son of Poseidon had shut me down in my entirely justified scolding of his precious** _ **cousin**_ **back at that accursed theme park.** _ **Stating the obvious like this is one of the reasons everyone thinks you're an idiot.**_

 **Ares gave the boy a wicked grin. "Bet that crippled blacksmith was surprised when he netted a couple of stupid kids. Sucks that someone blew out the cameras before things got really good, bet it would have been funny as hell." He sighed while he spun the shield in the air like pizza dough. It changed form, melting into a bulletproof vest. He slung it across his back.**

 **"Darn those imploding statues." The child of the sky snapped her fingers with a pout. "What will the smith god think of next?"**

 **The war god snickered at that. "Good job on that by the way." Ares praised. "Nice moves, midget."**

 **Andi preened under the praise. Personally, I just felt disgusted.** _ **You were willing to let Percy and me die just so you could show off some moves!**_

"I sense some lingering hostility." Leo mused while he stroked his non-existing beard.

"Yeah. Just a bit." Annabeth grumbled.

 **"Well, what do we have here?" He asked suddenly, holding Andi's keychain between two fingers as it hung in the air and spun gently in the hot breeze.**

 **Andi's hand went to her hip, feeling her weapon missing and glowered at the war god. "That's mine." She told him. "Give it back. Now."**

 **"Shut up," he brushed her off as it turned into a bow. "Damn, I thought I recognized that weapon of yours. But seeing it in person, I'm sure now. This is the real deal. Didn't think I'd see this old thing again." He whistled, admiring it.**

 **"You've seen it before?" I couldn't help but ask the war god curiously.**

 **"Oh yeah, the cripple made this for the old man. It was supposed to be a godly symbol, but he didn't want it, so it was never blessed to be one. It clashed with his almighty image with the Master Bolt, he said. Originally, he was supposed to shoot lightning with this beauty." Ares said, admiring it like some diehard gun enthusiast. "Made of white oak from the old man's personal tree, and you see these blue veins?" He asked them, "Carved with excess power from the Master Bolt, it allowed it to hold together to shoot the lightning. Grip made from leftover scraps of Amaltheia's hide after Aegis was made. And finally wind rope, since no other string could hold the lightning right and it could be used to cut also since it's razor thin."**

"If you can recognize the make of a bow and the use of its string, and you're not a craftsman...You might be a redneck." Hermes drawled in a high-pitched and slightly off-putting voice.

"Git – r – done." Ares returned with a smirk.

 _ **Great. Yet another thing to boost her ego.**_ **The blonde thought to herself sarcastically.** _ **Like she needs it. If her head gets anymore swollen, it'd explode.**_

 **"No legend to its name, no hero ever used it." He mused and turned to Andi, staring at her with those wraparound shades he was wearing. "Must have been gathering dust for centuries, and now you get it?" He cracked a grin. "Seems the old man's got a** _ **new**_ **little favorite."**

 _ **If she's Zeus' new favorite then we're doomed.**_

"Wow, Annie."

"Shut up, Thalia. I'm so not in the mood."

 **The god swung the bow, making the sword form appear.**

 **"Huh, this is new." He hummed with intrigue. He swung it around a few times and frowned in disapproval. "Too small."**

 **"Compensation." Andi said, disguising her words with a cough.**

 _ **She**_ **really** _ **is trying to get us killed, isn't she?**_

"I hope she is." Ares grinned.

 **The war god glared at his half-sister, while she just smiled innocently back. He spun the xiphos and it changed back into the keychain as he tossed it to Andi, who caught it.**

 **"Try not to lose that thing midget, it would be a real** _ **shame**_ **," he said to her with a distinctly shark-like grin.**

 **"See that truck over there?" The god pointed to an eighteen-wheeler parked across the street from the diner. "That's your ride. Take you straight to L.A., with one stop in Vegas."**

 **The eighteen-wheeler had a sign on the back, which the demigods could read only because it was reverse-printed white on black, a good combination for dyslexia: KINDNESS INTERNATIONAL: HUMANE ZOO TRANSPORT. WARNING: LIVE WILD ANIMALS.**

 **"You're kidding." Percy muttered.**

 **Ares snapped his fingers. The back door of the truck unlatched. "Free ride west, punk. Stop complaining. And here's a little something for doing the job."**

 **He slung a blue nylon backpack off his handlebars and tossed it to Percy.**

"And there's the big problem..." Percy groaned.

"Surprising how you never decided to open it before then." Hermes mused.

Ares rubbed his head. "Eh, head's a bit foggy, but I think there was a...what'cha call it, a spell or curse or sumthin."

"An influence to not look until the right time," Athena said.

"Yeah, sure."

 **Inside were fresh clothes for all of them, twenty bucks in cash, a pouch full of golden drachmas, and a bag of Double Stuffed Oreos.**

 **Percy said, "I don't want your lousy—"**

 _ **Idiot! You don't reject a god's gift!**_ **I screamed mentally as I started to speak.** _ **That complete fool was going to get us stranded here!**_

"...Very accurate."

"Oh, _you_ would say that!" Poseidon snarled at his rival.

"Poseidon, Athena, we're reading." Rhea reminded the two.

 **Thankfully, someone beat me to it.**

 **"Thank you, Lord Ares," Grover interrupted, giving Percy his best red-alert warning look. "Thanks a lot."**

 _ **Thank Olympus for Grover!**_

 **The son of the sea just gritted his teeth and reluctantly slung the backpack over his shoulder as he looked back at the diner, which had only a couple of customers now. The waitress who'd served them dinner was watching nervously out the window, like she was afraid Ares might hurt them. She dragged the fry cook out from the kitchen to see. She said something to him. He nodded, held up a little disposable camera and snapped a picture of the group.**

"Percy's a paparazzi magnet." Piper snickered.

"Shut up, it sucks…" Percy pouted.

 _ **Looks like we'll be in the papers again tomorrow.**_ **Annabeth lamented.** _ **Best get out of here quick.**_

 **"You owe me one more thing," the black haired boy told Ares, trying to keep his voice level. "You promised me information about my mother."**

 **This, I was not expecting. I suppose, with what had happened back at Waterland, that getting information from Ares about Percy's mother had slipped my mind.**

 **"You sure you can handle the news?" He kick-started his motorcycle. "She's not dead."**

 **Percy visibly grew unsteady at the news. "What do you mean?"**

 **"I mean she was taken away from the Minotaur before she could die. She was turned into a shower of gold, right? That's metamorphosis. Not death. She's being kept."**

 **"Kept. Why?"**

 **"Hostage."**

"Classic." Ares grinned in approval at his uncle.

Hades grimaced in return. Rhea looked over her shoulder at him and his grimace became more profound.

 **Andi frowned. "This is not good."**

 _ **As much as I dislike admitting it, Andi's right.**_

 **"Midget's right. You take somebody to control somebody else."**

 **"Nobody's controlling me." Percy argued.**

Ares snorted. "And you guys call me stupid."

"You _are_ stupid." Athena said dryly.

"...Yeah, but I'm an Olympian."

"Not by my vote." Athena grumbled.

 **Ares laughed. "Oh yeah? See you around, kid."**

 **Percy balled his fists up. "You're pretty smug, Lord Ares, for a guy who runs from cupid statues."**

 **Behind his sunglasses, fire glowed. "We'll meet again, Percy Jackson. Next time you're in a fight, watch your back."**

"...That was dumb." Frank mumbled. He looked over at Percy. "How are you still alive?"

"Luck." Annabeth said before Percy could open his mouth. "A whole lot of luck and overpowered Big Three blood."

Percy pouted. "Harsh, Wise Girl."

"True though." Apollo nodded.

 **He revved his Harley, then roared off down Delancey Street.**

 **With the war god gone, and with no more need to rein in her temper for fear of offending him and getting them all killed, I could finally snark at Percy, "That was not smart, Seaweed Brain."**

 **"I don't care." The boy argued.**

 **"You don't want a god as your enemy. Especially not that god." The blonde stated to him.**

 **"The guy set us up on purpose, we can be angry." Andi argued.**

 **"Then don't fall for it, be—"**

 **"Hey, guys," Grover interjected with a point, "I hate to interrupt, but ..."**

 **He pointed towards the diner. At the register, the last two customers were paying their check, two men in identical black coveralls, with a white logo on their backs that matched the one on the KINDNESS INTERNATIONAL truck.**

 **"If we're taking the zoo express," Grover continued, "we need to hurry."**

 **Well, we had no better options, besides, I'd seen enough of Denver to last me several lifetimes. So we ran across the street and climbed into the back of the rig, closing the door behind us just as the men left the diner.**

 **The first thing that hit us was the smell, like a fermenting vat of faeces and urine.**

"Mm-mm. Nothin' like the smell of feces and urine in the morning!" Hermes declared.

"...That's disgusting, Hermes." Artemis glowered at her brother.

"Meh, you've smelt worse when you tracked some of those animals."

"Th-That's different!" Artemis sputtered.

"Aw, embarrassed Artemis is so cute~! Are you _sure_ you don't want to have a fl-?"

"Finish that sentence, Aphrodite, I dare you!" Artemis hissed.

 **The trailer was dark inside until the witch summoned her wand light, illuminating a very sad scene. Sitting in a row of filthy metal cages were three of the most pathetic zoo animals you'd ever behold: a zebra, a male albino lion, and some antelope that I couldn't recall the species of.**

 **Someone had thrown the lion a sack of turnips, which he obviously didn't want to eat. The zebra and the antelope had each gotten a Styrofoam tray of hamburger meat. The zebra's mane was matted with chewing gum, like somebody had been spitting on it in their spare time. The antelope had a stupid silver birthday balloon tied to one of his horns that read OVER THE HILL!**

 **Apparently, nobody had wanted to get close enough to the lion to mess with him, but the poor thing was pacing around on soiled blankets, in a space way too small for him, panting from the stuffy heat of the trailer. He had flies buzzing around his pink eyes and his ribs showed through his white fur.**

 **"This is kindness?" Grover yelled. "Humane zoo transport?"**

Eyes turned to Ares. The war god shrugged.

"I thought it was funny," he said. "Ironic, y'know?"

Apollo stifled a laugh and pointedly avoided Artemis and Demeter's glares.

 **He probably would've gone right back outside to beat up the truckers with his reed pipes, and honestly I wasn't much different, but just then the truck's engine roared to life, the trailer started shaking, and we were forced to sit down or fall down.**

 **The group huddled in the corner on some mildewed feed sacks, trying to ignore the smell and the heat and the flies. Grover talked to the animals in a series of goat bleats, but they just stared at him sadly. I was in favor of breaking the cages and freeing them on the spot, but Percy pointed out that it wouldn't do much good until the truck stopped moving. That and the high likelihood that they might look a lot better to the lion than those turnips.**

 **Andi was using her magic to try and make it easier for the animals, like cleaning the pens and airing out the truck with freshening charms as Percy refilled the water bowls**

"Time out!" Leo called. He pointed at the screen. "...How? Was there a hose in the truck?"

"Water bottles, Leo." Percy explained.

"...Fair enough." Leo shrugged and sat back in his seat.

 **and changed the mismatched food, the meat to the lion and the turnips to the zebra and the antelope.**

 _ **For once she's doing something useful.**_ **I snarked, but frowned afterwards.** _ **Ok, maybe that's a little**_ **too** _ **harsh. But all this Airhead seems to know how to do is put us in unnecessary danger just so she can show off.**_

"...Are we _sure_ she's not still related to Aphrodite?" Artemis asked.

"Oh, I stop to check my hair one time while we're pursued by Typhoon the first time!"

"Exactly!"

"Ladies!" Rhea interjected with a firm but kind smile. "Please, let us continue."

"Yes, Grandmother."

"Sure, Rhea."

 **Grover calmed the antelope down while I crept up behind him and silently cut the balloon off his horn. Andi sheared the mane off the Zebra with magic and regrew it to get all the gum out. We told Grover to promise the animals we'd help them more in the morning, then the four of us settled in for night.**

 **Grover curled up on a turnip sack; I had opened the bag of Double Stuf Oreos and tried nibbling one before giving it up as a lost cause, after everything hunger wasn't at the forefront of my mind. Andi was eating from her bag of trail mix; while Percy muttered to himself about the fact that they were halfway to Los Angeles. Halfway to their destination. It was only June fourteenth. The solstice wasn't until the twenty-first. They could make it in plenty of time.**

"You could've..." Nico trailed off.

"Shut up." The couple grumbled as the other demigods smirked or snickered.

 **Casting a glance at Percy, who looked an odd mixture of hopeful and resigned, I sighed."Hey," I began, "I'm sorry for freaking out back at the waterpark, Percy."**

 **"That's okay." The boy told her.**

 **"It's just...Spiders."**

 **"Because of the Arachne story, right?" Percy guessed. "She got turned into a spider for challenging your mom to a weaving contest, right?"**

 _ **Maybe he isn't entirely stupid after all.**_ **I mused, a touch surprised.**

"...Ow." Percy grabbed his chest and pouted at his girlfriend. "That one hurt a little."

"You never fail to surprise me."

"...That hurt even more!"

 **"Arachne's children have been taking revenge on the children of Athena ever since. If there's a spider within a mile of me, it'll find me. I hate the creepy little things. Anyway, I owe you."**

 **"Heh, you'd get along with my friend Ron, his older brothers turned his teddy into a spider when he was younger, he's been scared-stiff of them ever since."**

"That would be horrible!" Annabeth paled rapidly.

 **The blue-eyed girl told the blonde.**

 **"Horrible of them." I shook my head sympathetically while suppressing a shiver before abruptly catching myself. I had already resolved not to be so friendly to the daughter of Zeus, so to emphasize the point I shot her a glare.**

 **"Hey! None of that. We're a team, remember?" Percy chided. The tension in the trailer was so thick I think I'd be able to cut it with my knife.**

 **"Look Annabeth, I know you're still upset. But you've got to let what happened back at the waterpark go." Percy advised.**

 **"She's still angry with me?" Andi asked with a surprised look.**

 _ **Of course I am! It's only been a few hours, what did you expect, Airhead?!**_

"...She really could be a great hunter..."

"No! You can't ruin Annabeth like you did Thalia, not after all those hours I put in to pushing her and Percy in the right direction!" Aphrodite complained.

"I knew it!" Athena hissed.

"I'm not ruined!" Thalia protested.

"I do not ruin girls, you do!"

"Puh-lease." Aphrodite scoffed at Artemis' retort. "I let girls accept their feelings as the norm instead of burying them under layers of poop-sniffing grossness."

"We. Do. Not. Sniff. Excrement!" Artemis grit out.

"Sure. And I don't douse my lovers in perfume." Aphrodite smirked. "Face it, Artemis, you're the goddess of excrement sniffing."

"Aphrodite, Artemis, settle down! Now!" Hera barked as the goddess of the hunt's eyes flashed.

Artemis grit her teeth and sat back in her throne, a glare locked on the tittering goddess of love.

 **"Andi might have screwed up but she did save us from a bad landing in the end, that's gotta count for something." Percy continued, ignoring his cousin. "In the end, we all did good. The two of us got Ares' stupid shield and Andi and Grover saved us."**

 **We'd thought Grover was asleep, but he mumbled from the corner, "I was pretty amazing, wasn't I?"**

 **Percy laughed. As upset as I was, I felt my lips curl into a small smile at my satyr friend's antics. Andi smirked. "Heck yeah, Grover."**

 _ **As much as I hate to admit it. Maybe he's right. Continuing to hold a grudge won't help anyone.**_

 **Admitting defeat, I pulled apart an Oreo, handing Percy half as a peace offering. He smiled at me as he accepted it. I just nodded and changed the topic. "In the Iris Message...did Luke really say nothing?"**

 **Percy munched the cookie and was obviously thinking about how to answer. "Luke said you and he go way back. He also said Grover wouldn't fail this time. Nobody would turn into a pine tree."**

 **In the wand light, you could see both their sad faces.**

 _ **Urgh, just my luck. Of all the topics Luke had to talk to him about in the Iris Message.**_

"Punk was good at spreading doubt," Ares said with a nod.

"...I know that's an insult, Ares. You're not getting to me this time." Hermes grumbled.

 **Grover let out a mournful bray.**

 **"I should've told you the truth from the beginning." His voice trembled. "I thought if you knew what a failure I was, you wouldn't want me along."**

 **"You were the satyr who tried to rescue Thalia, the daughter of Zeus. Andi's older sister." Percy stated.**

 **He nodded glumly.**

 **"And the other two half-bloods Thalia befriended, the ones who got safely to camp..." he looked at me. "That was you and Luke, wasn't it?"**

 **Andi was silent, closing her trail mix bag, not looking very hungry anymore.**

 **I sighed, putting the Oreos back into the bag, largely uneaten. "Like you said, Percy, a seven-year-old half-blood wouldn't have made it very far alone. Athena guided me towards help. Thalia was twelve. Luke was fourteen. They'd both run away from home, like me. They were happy to take me with them. They were...amazing monster-fighters, even without training. We traveled north from Virginia without any real plans, fending off monsters for about two weeks before Grover found us."**

"There! O'er the hill! It is him! The glorious Lord of the Wild!" Hermes declared valiantly.

"Huzzah, we are save-ed!" Apollo threw in, adding fuel to the fire.

"Grover, Grover, he's our goat, if he can't do it, jump in the moat!" Annabeth chanted, with Thalia and Percy jumping in on cue.

"...He's a pretty cool Faun," Hazel said with a nod.

"Grover's a Satyr, not a Faun." Nico corrected her.

 **"I was supposed to escort Thalia to camp," the goat boy took over, sniffling. "Only Thalia. I had strict orders from Chiron: don't do anything that would slow down the rescue. We knew Hades was after her, see, but I couldn't just leave Luke and Annabeth by themselves. I thought...I thought I could lead all three of them to safety. It was my fault the Kindly Ones caught up with us. I froze. I got scared on the way back to camp and took some wrong turns. If I'd just been a little quicker..."**

 **"Stop it," I chided, for both our sakes. "No one blames you. Thalia didn't blame you either."**

"Nope. I blame them." Thalia pointed her thumbs at her step-mother and uncle, who took it with stride.

 **"She sacrificed herself to save us," he continued miserably, paying me no mind. "Her death was my fault. The Council of Cloven Elders said so."**

 **"Screw them." Andi told him sharply as she got up and knelt next to him, blue eyes meeting sad goat ones, "I...I can't say I know Thalia, I know I never will, to be honest; but if what I've heard is true, like Annabeth said, she wouldn't blame you, she wasn't like that. Hell, if I was in her place, I would do the same thing in a heartbeat." She told him, "I would do anything for my friends, without a second of doubt. You're one of those friends Grover, so chin up."**

 _ **Yeah right.**_ **I thought to myself disbelievingly.** _ **Then why did you leave us to face a death trap without your help?**_

"Wow, brooding Bethy-"

"Do _not_ call me that." Annabeth glared at Leo venomously. Percy's 'wolf stare' joined in and the son of Hephaestus swallowed.

"...A-Alright. Geez, take a joke..."

 **Percy nodded resolutely, and patted Grover's shoulder reassuringly. "She's right, forget those guys G-man, just because you wouldn't leave two other half-bloods behind? That's not fair."**

 **"Percy's right," I agreed, leaving the daugther of Zeus' contribution unmentioned, I was still not happy with her. "I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for you, Grover. Neither would Luke. We don't care what the council says."**

 **Grover kept sniffling. "It's just my luck. I'm the lamest satyr ever, I find the two most powerful half-bloods of the century, Thalia and Percy. I couldn't even get them to camp right! So lame."**

 **"You're not lame," I insisted. "You've got more courage than any satyr I've ever met. Name another one who would dare go to the Underworld. I bet Percy is really glad you're here right now."**

 **Shooting Percy a glare, I kicked the idiot son of the sea god in the shin.** _ **Say something, stupid.**_

"I was going to anyway." Percy mumbled. He rubbed the phantom pain on his shin.

 **"Yeah," Percy agreed. "It's not luck that you found Thalia and me, Grover. You've got the biggest heart of any satyr ever. You're a natural searcher. That's why you'll be the one who finds Pan."**

 **You could hear a deep, satisfied sigh. Percy waited for Grover to reply, but his breathing only got heavier. When the sound turned to snoring, we realized he'd fallen asleep.**

"Wow, way to ruin a moment."

"You'd know, Frank." Percy mumbled in discontent. He was still a little miffed that his friend totally botched his alone time with Annabeth on the Argo.

 **"How does he do that?" Percy marveled as Andi got up and plopped down next to me. I really,** _ **really**_ **didn't want to deal with her right now, so scooted away a little and leaned back against the wall of the trailer. Thankfully, Andi took the hint and after a disappointed frown pulled up her hood and inched away too.**

 **"I don't know," I mused, it was a good point, what Percy mentioned. "But that was really a nice thing you told him."**

 **"I meant it."**

 **"I know you did, Percy." Andi smiled from under her hood.**

 **We rode in silence for a few miles, bumping around on the feed sacks, Andi snoring softly as she used one of the feedbags as a pillow, sleeping peacefully. Percy quietly asked me how she managed that since those bags were seriously uncomfortable to sit on, much less use as a pillow; to which I just ignored him.**

 **With Andi out, her wand light had gone out too, so Percy took out Riptide, using its shimmering bronze as a dim light for us. The zebra munched a turnip. The lion licked the last of the hamburger meat off his lips and looked at Percy hopefully.**

"I think that's a typo. Hungrily." Ares corrected with a smirk.

"Funny, Ares, very funny."

 **Not looking at anything in particular, I rubbed my necklace absentmindedly as I pondered the day's events.**

 **"That pine-tree bead," the boy said suddenly. "Is that from your first year?"**

 **Following Percy's gaze, I saw what he was staring at.** _ **Ah, that...**_

 **"Yeah," I said, going back to toying with the beads. "Every August, the counselors pick the most important event of the summer, and they paint it on that year's beads. I've got Thalia's pine tree, a Greek trireme on fire, a centaur in a prom dress — now that was a weird summer..."**

"I still want to know about what really happened then," Percy said thoughtfully.

 **"And the college ring is your father's?"**

 **"That's none of your—" I stopped myself, staring at the ring with a frown. "Yeah. Yeah, it is."**

 **"You don't have to tell me."**

 **"No...no it's okay." I sucked in a shaky breath.** _ **If I'm going to put things behind me then this is the least I can do. At least I'm not telling this to Andi.**_

"Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the two, a little hellion cracked her eye open." Apollo chuckled.

"Considering Andi isn't one of my legacies this go around, I'm certain that I would've ensured Percabeth had their moment alone," Aphrodite said. She winked at the flushed couple. "You can thank me later."

 **"My dad sent it to me folded up in a letter, two summers ago. The ring was, like, his main keepsake from Athena. He wouldn't have gotten through his doctoral program at Harvard without her...That's a long story. Anyways, he said he wanted me to have it. He apologized for being a jerk, said he loved me and missed me. He wanted me to come home and live with him."**

 **"That doesn't sound so bad."**

 **"Yeah, well...the problem was, I believed him. I tried to go home for that school year, but my stepmom was the same as ever. She didn't want her kids put in danger by living with a freak. Monsters attacked. We argued. Monsters attacked again. We argued some more. I didn't even make it through winter break. I called Chiron and came right back to Camp Half-Blood."**

 **"You think you'll ever try living with your dad again?"**

 **I couldn't meet his eyes. "Please. I'm not into self-inflicted pain."**

"You're definitely not an M. You are an S. Percy is the M." Apollo nodded at his sound reasoning. He hissed in pain when Artemis slapped him hard. "Ow!"

"Artemis, don't hit your brother." Rhea absently scolded. "Even if he did deserve it, it isn't nice. Use your words."

"He ignores my words." Artemis grumbled.

"Hm? Say something sis?"

"...You so did that on purpose."

"I don't even know what you're talking about."

"Twins!"

 **"You shouldn't give up," the water boy argued. "You should write him a letter or something."**

 **"Thanks for the advice," I felt myself say coldly, "but my father's made his choice about who he wants to live with."**

 **It was then that I felt my hand grasped and squeezed softly, Andi was awake, I tried to shake her off but Andi held firm. Soft grey eyes turned to meet one half-lidded electric blue eye. "If they can't see what an amazing person you are, they aren't worth it." She said adamantly and let out a heavy sigh and drifted back to sleep, snuggling back onto her turnip pillow.**

"Ha! Called it!"

"Great," Artemis said lowly. "Now he'll never shut up."

 _ **Maybe she isn't so bad...**_

 **I gave the sleeping pixie a small smile as I squeezed the unresponsive hand back in thanks before I pulled my hand back.**

 **The group passed another few miles in silence.**

 **"So if the gods fight," Percy said quietly so as not to wake Andi, "will things line up the way they did with the Trojan War? Will it be Athena versus Poseidon?"**

 **I leaned my head back onto one of the stacks of feed and closed my eyes; half mulling it over, and half wishing I could fall asleep, just to avoid this.**

 _ **Forgive me, Mother.**_

 **"I don't know what my mom will do. I just know I'll fight next to you."**

"Oh, she will." Aphrodite nodded. "Or else."

Athena gave the goddess a calculative and wary look. She didn't like the implications of that 'or else'.

 **"Why?"**

 **"Because you're my friend, Seaweed Brain. Anymore stupid questions?"**

 **I didn't hear Percy's reply, if he had any, because I was asleep before he said anything.**

"Must've roofied her."

"ARES!"

"What? I wouldn't put it past him."

 **Andi was having a nightmare once more, and it wasn't the one about the carnivorous cake out for revenge for its fallen brethren…this time.**

 **She looked at her wrists and ankles, they were in chains of bronze with links that were attached to a elegant, giant birdcage made of gold that was somehow suspended in mid-air in the middle of a raging storm even as the sun,** _ **somehow**_ **, remained shining. "Come on shorty, one of us has to get out of here." A female voice whispered to her.**

 **Andi looked towards the direction of the voice and was stunned, for a moment she thought she was looking into a mirror that showed her future-self or something.**

 **The other person had hair that was shorter, more spiked, and was wearing a black leather jacket over some kind of band tee shirt, black jeans, and black leather boots. Her wrists and ankles were chained just like Andi's were.**

 **But, the thing that made Andi realize this person wasn't an image of herself were the cute splash of freckles across her nose.**

 **It was then she realized who she was seeing.**

 **This wasn't her future self.**

 **This was Thalia.**

 **A fellow daughter of Zeus and more importantly, her older sister.**

"Hey, how's it goin'?" Thalia asked with a nonchalant wave.

 **Andi's heart lurched to her throat, her mouth opened and closed, as she tried to speak, but she couldn't.**

 **Thalia gave her a confident smirk, "You deaf, baby bird?" She nudged her head at the outside of the cage. "Shouldn't you be out there, instead of being locked up here?"**

 **The younger daughter of the sky lord wanted to go over and hug her sister but the chains didn't let her, making her angry, how dare they stop her! She screamed and suddenly the chains broke into hundreds of pieces.**

 **She walked up to Thalia, her eyes showing her intense longing. Finally, after so long, she was seeing someone who was like her.**

 **Her hand shakily reached out, like Thalia may have been an illusion, but deep down, she knew this wasn't, it wasn't some cruel joke from the voice in the pit. Her sister, her** _ **big**_ **sister was right in front of her.**

 **Her head was telling her to leave, get out,** _ **now**_ **, but her heart was overcoming her logic, wanting the thing she had always dreamed of since she was small, well, smaller.**

 **Family.**

"Heartwarming." Rhea smiled sweetly.

Hestia beamed right alongside her mother.

Hera, however, looked affronted.

 **That was all she wanted, not some great power, not some grand legend, not immense wealth, she just wanted the one thing that the Fates seemed to enjoy taking from her.**

 **A family. Right now, that was exactly what was before her. Even if this was a dream, she...she didn't want it to stop. When she was younger, she would dream of someone coming and taking her away from that cupboard. Some distant family, or as childish as it sounded, a prince charming.**

"Will Solace, your role has been decided." Apollo decided.

Aphrodite giggled. "Oh, it's going to be magical! Windi's back and better than ever!"

Nico's eye twitched and he crossed his arms in annoyance.

 **Someone to just hold her and chase the nightmares of a sad childhood away. Someone to tell her it was going to be okay to let her walls, that she built so tall, down.**

 **And the realization of all those wishes was right in front of her. Thalia's smirk turned into a smile as her own hand reached up and touched Andi's hand, "Come on," she told her, "Get out of here and fly, baby bird, the open skies are where you belong." She winked to her sister, "Not stuck here like a prisoner."**

 **Andi bit her lip, trying to stop the tears from coming, "Come with me." She begged her, tugging the chained hand, the chains wouldn't budge, but she didn't stop trying in vain to break them. "Come with me. Please, big sister."**

 **It was then Thalia's smile turned sad, and she clutched Andi's hand gently. "You know I can't, baby bird." Thalia replied, turning her head to gaze outside the cage, her eyes filled with some emotion Andi couldn't identify. "Never did like the flying bit myself…but you do, right?" She asked, electric blue eyes meeting once more.**

 **Andi gave a shaky nod, not trusting her voice.**

 **The older sister's smile brightened, "Then do me a favor and enjoy the sky enough for both of us, okay?"**

 **"I…Y-Yes." Andi responded softly.**

 **"Now spread those little wings and fly, simple, isn't it?"**

"...This sounds _really_ out of character for Thalia," Annabeth said.

"Yeah, why would I encourage anyone to do something stupid like that?" Thalia asked.

"It's a dream, right?" Percy began. "Maybe...it's what she hopes you're like?"

"...Oh dear gods, Percy used his brain." Nico turned and looked to his father. "You should double check the Underworld's temperature."

Hades cracked a small smile at that.

 **Andi's hand slipped from her sister's as she slowly stepped back, her eyes never leaving Thalia's as she got to the door of the cage. It swung open as she approached. Andi turned to see the clearing sky, the sun now shining through unimpeded by the storm. She turned to Thalia once more and bit the inside of her cheek, the pain keeping her eyes dry.**

 **"I'll find a way to save you. I-I don't know how, or even how long it will take, but I promise, okay? I promise." She said with determination as she turned around once more before finally jumping out the cage, her last words carrying on the wind.**

 **"I'll save you, big sister."**

 **But she wasn't flying.**

"She's falling. With style!" Apollo declared with a grin.

"Best way to fall." Hermes nodded.

 **She was falling. Deeper and deeper, she fell until she was covered in darkness.**

 **As she landed soundlessly on the black ground, that cold and evil voice that she recognized from her previous dreams echoed from the depths of a great chasm before her. She turned and saw Percy, who looked surprised to see her.**

 **Percy Jackson and Andi Potter,** **it cackled.** **Yes, the exchange went well, I see.**

 **They were back in a dark cavern, spirits of the dead drifting around them. Unseen in the pit, the monstrous thing was speaking, but this time it wasn't addressing either of them. The numbing power of its voice seemed directed somewhere else.**

 **And they suspect nothing?** **it asked.**

"No, my master." Leo rasped out.

 **Another voice, one they could almost recognize, answered from nearby. Spinning around, they tried to see who was speaking, but couldn't see through the darkness. It had rendered the speaker invisible.**

 _ **Nothing, my lord. He is as ignorant as the rest. But the girl, she is quick witted, not easy to fool, eventually she will figure out the truth.**_

"Was he talking about Annabeth or Andi?" Piper asked, ignoring the affronted look on her blonde friend's face.

 **Deception upon deception,** **the thing in the pit mused aloud.** **Excellent. But I would expect nothing less of her from who she is born of.** **The voice spat out with hatred,** **But, even if she does, it will be far too late.**

 _ **Truly, my lord,**_ **said the voice,** _ **you are well named the Crooked One. But was it really necessary? I could have brought you what I stole directly—**_

"From right under Zeus' nose."

"Silence, Hades." Zeus grunted at his brother.

 **You?** **the monster scorned.** **You have already shown your limits. You would have failed me completely had I not intervened.**

 _ **But, my lord—**_

 **Peace, little servant. Our six months have brought us much. Zeus' anger has grown. Poseidon has played his most desperate card. Even the** _ **King**_ **has played his** _ **own**_ **secret gambit. Now we shall use their precious pawns against them. Shortly you shall have the reward you wish, and your revenge. As soon as both items are delivered into my hands...but wait. They are here.**

 _ **What?**_ **The invisible servant suddenly sounded tense.** _ **You summoned them, my lord?**_

 **No.** **The full force of the monster's attention was now pouring over them, freezing the demigods in place.** **Blast their Fathers' blood. They are too changeable, too unpredictable. The children brought themselves hither.**

 _ **Impossible!**_ **the servant cried.**

"Inconceivable!" Apollo declared. He grunted when he got a hard elbow from Hermes.

 **For a weakling such as you, perhaps,** **the voice mocked, its cold power turned back on the children of the sky and sea.** **So...you wish to dream of your quest, young half-bloods? Then I will oblige.**

 **All of a sudden, the scene changed.**

 **The child of the sky lord abruptly found herself dressed in elegant Greek armor, with a flourishing blood red cape clasped to her shoulders. She sat on a throne of faceless corpses as she gazed down at a destroyed floating city of white and silver. Blurred figures bowed to her as they crowned her with a solid gold laurel.**

 **In her hand was a two foot bronze tube, which was humming with raw unearthly power at each end.**

 **The evil voice began to laugh.** **Hail, the conquering heroine!**

 **Andi screamed.**

"Now that'd be an interesting twist." Ares mused.

 **Percy awoke from his nightmare to Grover nudging him with one of his hooves even as he held a hand over Andi's mouth, smothering what sounded like a scream. As the two big three children got their bearings, the satyr explained the situation in a whisper, "The truck's stopped. We think they're coming to check on the animals."**

 **"Hide!" Annabeth hissed.**

 **She and Andi had it easy. Annabeth just put on her magic cap and disappeared while Andi did the same by pulling on her cloak. Grover and Percy had to dive behind feed sacks and hope they looked like turnips.**

"Do you know how hard it is to act like a turnip?" Percy asked with a haunted look in his eye.

"...Don't you just, I don't know, stand still?"

"Exactly, Leo."

"...Dude...How'd you manage?"

"I don't know."

 **The trailer doors creaked open. Sunlight and heat poured in.**

 **"Man!" One of the truckers said, waving his hand in front of his ugly nose. "I wish I hauled appliances." He climbed inside and poured some water from a jug into the animals' dishes.**

 **"You hot, big boy?" He mocked the lion, then splashed the rest of the bucket right in the lion's face.**

 **The lion roared in indignation.**

 **"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he yawned.**

Ares chuckled. "That guy is begging to be eaten."

"Indeed." Hades mused. "Cerberus does need a new chew toy. Rasputin is starting to get gnarly."

 **Grover tensed, for a peace-loving herbivore, he looked downright murderous.**

 **The trucker threw the antelope a squashed-looking Happy Meal bag. He smirked at the zebra. "How ya doin', Stripes? Least we'll be getting rid of you this stop. You like magic shows? You're gonna love this one. They're gonna saw you in half!"**

 **The zebra, wild-eyed with fear, looked straight at Percy.**

 **There was no sound, but as clear as day, he heard it say:** _ **Free me, lord. Please.**_

"Just accept Christ as your lord and savior, Hallelujah!" Hermes cried, his hands in the air.

"Hallelujah!" Apollo, Leo, Frank and Percy repeated.

The other Olympians didn't look amused. Zeus looked downright ready to smite them.

It was only Rhea's amused laughter that held the king's Master Bolt at bay.

 **Percy was too stunned to react.**

 **Thankfully, not all of the questers were distracted. As suddenly, there was a loud knock, knock, knock from the side of the trailer.**

"Who's there?" Leo asked.

"...So not funny, dude." Percy mumbled.

"You obviously need to learn some good Knock-Knock Jokes," Leo said with a snort.

 **The trucker inside with them yelled, "What do you want, Eddie?"**

 **A voice outside — it must've been Eddie's — shouted back, "Maurice? What'd ya say?"**

 **"What are you banging for?"**

 **Knock, knock, knock.**

 **Outside, Eddie yelled, "What banging?"**

"All I can hear are some heavy knockers." Apollo grinned.

Artemis pursed her lips and glared at her twin.

"...Oh, c'mon! That's funny for, like, three reasons!"

"Pig."

 **Maurice rolled his eyes and went back outside, cursing at Eddie for being an idiot.**

 **There was a cry of 'Stupefy' and two thuds.**

 **A second later, Annabeth appeared next to him. She must've done the banging to get Maurice out of the trailer and Andi used her magic on the guys. Looking sympathetically at the abused animals, the blonde said, "This transport business can't be legal."**

 **"No kidding," Grover said. He paused, as if listening. "The lion says these guys are animal smugglers!"**

"…So, they're a bunch of Nerf Herders?" Apollo asked his grin plastered on his face.

"Oh, us, someone shut him up," Artemis said under her breath as she rubbed her temples.

"Hey, my puns are glorious!" Apollo stuck his nose in the air. "I work them all the time."

"...That was a good one, too," Hermes said with an approving nod while Artemis pinched the bridge of her nose.

 _ **That's right,**_ **the zebra's voice said in Percy's mind.**

 **"We've got to free them!" Grover said.**

 **He and Annabeth both looked at Percy, waiting for his lead. Andi meanwhile just floated the now unconscious men into the trailer, before quirking an eyebrow and joined in with the expectant stares.**

 **Percy however was too distracted to even notice what his friends were doing. Instead he was preoccupied with trying to figure out how he could understand the zebra. It took him a moment until it hit him. Poseidon created horses didn't he? So that meant as his son he could understand them? Did a zebra count as a horse?**

"Yes." Poseidon nodded.

"It's a subspecies, Percy." Annabeth explained.

"Well, yeah, I know that now!" Percy mumbled.

 _ **Open my cage, lord. Please. I'll be fine after that.**_ **The zebra pleaded.**

 **Still oblivious to his friends' waiting on his lead, Percy grabbed Riptide and slashed the lock off the zebra's cage.**

 **The zebra burst out. It turned to him and bowed.** _ **Thank you, lord.**_

"And God said unto His subject-!"

"Hermes, finish that line." Zeus snarled. "Please, by all means."

While the God of Travellers sheepishly sunk into his throne, Percy frowned in thought.

"You know," he said to the other demigods, and to the eavesdropping Olympians, "Chiron said he'd explain the whole metaphysical God thing, but he's never really gone further than that."

"Well, that, Percy, would be because they," Thalia said, pointing over her shoulder at her father and uncles, "don't _like_ the subject."

"...That...That makes a lot of sense." Percy nodded.

 **Grover held up his hands and said something to the zebra in goat talk, like a blessing.**

 **The zebra leaped into the street. There was yelling and screaming and cars honking. The questers rushed to the doors of the trailer in time to see the zebra galloping down a wide boulevard lined with hotels and casinos and neon signs. They'd just released a zebra in Las Vegas.**

 **Taking Percy's actions as a sign, Annabeth quickly drew her dagger and cut off the lock for the antelope while Andi magicked open the lion's cage with a mutter of "Alohomora.".**

 **As the animals rushed past him to freedom, Grover raised his hands and spoke the same goat-blessing he'd used for the zebra.**

 **"Good luck," Percy told the antelope and the lion as they went off together into the streets.**

"Smart cat. Taking lunch with him." Ares nodded.

"I'm sure that's the plan," Demeter said with a roll of her eyes.

 **Some tourists screamed. Most just backed off and took pictures, probably thinking it was some kind of stunt by one of the casinos.**

 **Seeing the animals escape, Andi turned to the downed smugglers, her devious pixie-esque smile cranked up to eleven. Taking the hands of each of the guys, she used something she called a sticking charm to stick each of their hands down the other's pants. That was going to be an awkward wake up.**

 **"Will the animals be okay?" Percy asked Grover, "I mean, Vegas is a desert."**

 **"Don't worry," the satyr replied. "I placed a satyr's sanctuary on them."**

 **"Meaning?"**

 **"Meaning they'll reach the wild safely," Grover explained. "They'll find water, food, shade, whatever they need until they find a safe place to live."**

 **"Why can't you place a blessing like that on us?" The water boy asked.**

 **"It only works on wild animals."**

"So it would only affect Percy," Thalia said with a smirk.

"...No way." Percy groaned while Annabeth laughed.

"What?" Thalia asked.

"You'll see," the daughter of Athena said with a smile on her face.

 **"So it would only affect Percy," Annabeth joked.**

"...Wow, universally hilarious." Thalia smirked.

"Great minds think alike." Annabeth agreed.

"Annabeth…" Percy whined while the other demigods snickered.

 **"Makes sense." Andi playfully nodded with a giggle.**

 **"Hey!"**

 **"Kidding," Annabeth said, her hands held up in surrender. "Come on. Let's get out of this filthy truck."**

"Aw, it wasn't _that_ bad." Ares rolled his eyes. "Overdramatic brats."

 **They stumbled out into the desert afternoon. It was a hundred and ten degrees, easy, and the questers must've looked like deep-fried vagrants, but everybody was too interested in the wild animals to pay them much attention.**

 **They passed the Monte Carlo and the MGM. The pyramids, a pirate ship, and the Statue of Liberty, which was a pretty small replica, but still made Percy homesick.**

 **The group really didn't know what to look for. Maybe just a place to get out from the heat and cool down with a nice glass of lemonade and a good sandwich, anything really.**

 **They must have taken a wrong turn, because they were at a dead end, standing in front of the Lotus Hotel and Casino. The entrance was a huge neon flower, the petals lighting up and blinking. No one was going in or out, but the glittering chrome doors were open, spilling out air-conditioning that smelled like flowers — lotus blossom, maybe.**

 **The doorman smiled at them. "Hey, kids. You look tired. You want to come in and sit down?"**

 **Andi's frame went rigid at the man, her eyes narrowing into slits as her fingers slid down to her back pocket, fingering her wand. Percy agreed with her attitude, if the last week or so had taught him anything it was to be suspicious of everything. Anybody might be a monster or a god in disguise. You just couldn't tell. But this guy was normal. One look at him, and the boy could see that. Besides, the son of Poseidon was so relieved to hear somebody who sounded sympathetic that he just nodded and said they'd love to come in.**

"Percy!" The demigods, save for Annabeth and the brooding boy in question, groaned.

"I. Was. _Twelve_!"

"That's no excuse for falling into an obvious trap," Jason said.

"Oh, like you _never_ fell into an obvious trap!" Percy shot back.

"I never said that-!"

"Exactly!" Percy crossed his arms and scowled. "So sick of being judged..."

"Just wait until you die, Percy Jackson." Hades chuckled.

 **Inside, the group took one look around, and Grover summed up all their opinions when he said, "Whoa."**

 **The whole lobby was a giant game room. There was an indoor waterslide snaking around the glass elevator, which went straight up at least forty floors. There was a climbing wall on one side of the building, and an indoor bungee-jumping bridge. There were virtual-reality games with working laser guns. And hundreds of video games, each one the size of a widescreen TV. Basically, you name it, this place had it. There were a few other kids playing, but not that many. There would be no waiting for any of the games. There were waitresses and snack bars all around, serving every kind of food you can imagine.**

"Snack foods and unhealthy sodas, eating all of that will ruin their teeth and skin..." Aphrodite curled her lip. "Disgusting!"

"Deplorable." Demeter added.

"Delicious." The goddesses looked to Hermes, who blinked innocently. "What? Haven't you ever had Cheese Bombs and Mountain Dew? The best."

"Aww yeah, game night snack galore." Apollo nodded.

 **"Hey!" a bellhop said. He wore a white-and-yellow Hawaiian shirt with lotus designs, shorts, and flip-flops. "Welcome to the Lotus Casino. Here's your room key."**

 **Percy stammered, "Um, but..."**

 **"No, no," he said, laughing. "The bill's taken care of. No extra charges, no tips. Just go on up to the top floor, room 4001. If you need anything, like extra bubbles for the hot tub, or skeet targets for the shooting range, or whatever, just call the front desk. Here are your Lotus Cash cards. They work in the restaurants and on all the games and rides."**

 **He handed them each a green plastic credit card.**

 **Percy knew there must be some mistake. Obviously he thought they were some millionaire's kids. Well, Andi was one but the rest of them? They were far from it. Despite this, the black-haired boy took the card anyway and said, "How much is on here?"**

 **His eyebrows knit together. "What do you mean?"**

 **"I mean, when does it run out of cash?"**

 **He laughed. "Oh, you're making a joke. Hey, that's cool. Enjoy your stay."**

"...Cue Admiral Ackbar meme." Leo pointed at Apollo.

The god of the arts snapped his fingers and the classic line played: "It's a Trap!"

"Thanks, God-dude."

"No problem, Leo Valdez."

 **They took the elevator upstairs and checked out the room. It was a suite with four separate bedrooms and a bar stocked with candy, sodas, and chips. A hotline to room service. Fluffy towels and water beds with feather pillows. A big-screen television with satellite and high-speed Internet. The balcony had its own hot tub, and sure enough, there was a skeet-shooting machine and a shotgun, so you could launch clay pigeons right out over the Las Vegas skyline and plug them with your gun. Percy didn't see how that could be legal, but he thought it was pretty cool. The view over the Strip and the desert was amazing, but with a room like this, why bother looking?**

"...Because it's a cool view?" Jason asked.

"No. No it is not." Thalia grumbled.

"You only say that because of your agoraphobia..."

"Shut up, Super-dork."

"...Ouch. Feelings, Thalia."

"You'll live, Jay."

 **"Oh, goodness," Annabeth said. "This place is..."**

 **"Sweet," Grover said. "Absolutely sweet."**

 **"Shower, mine, now." Andi outright claimed before Annabeth could call dibs.**

 **There were clothes in the closet, and they fit them. Andi frowned, thinking aloud that this was a little strange, but was still thankful along with Annabeth about clean underwear finally.**

 **Percy threw Ares' backpack in the trashcan. Wouldn't need that anymore. When they left, he could just charge a new one at the hotel store.**

"...You _threw out_ the Master Bolt's sheath!?" Zeus raged.

"I didn't know at the time! Honest!" Percy swore as he cringed under his uncle's wrath.

"Zeus..." Rhea warned her son. "That was years ago."

"Yes, but Mother-!"

"I thought Hades' flaw was holding grudges."

"Mother!" Both Hades and Zeus complained and then glared at one another.

"Enough! Continue reading Frank Zhang." Rhea instructed and smiled at Percy when he looked at her gratefully.

 **Andi walked out of the shower in a towel wrapped around her petite body and was drying her hair with another one as the boys turned around and Annabeth palmed her face at the action. Completely ignoring her friends' reactions, the dark haired girl searched the closet for something to wear and eventually pulled out a tank top that had the U.K. flag wrapped around it and a pair of grey cargo shorts. She was about to change right there, in front of everyone, when a flushed Annabeth pulled her into the bathroom, chiding her about social norms. Andi just looked at her with a clueless expression on her face.**

"That's a problem for future relationships."

"Shut up, Hades." Zeus grit out.

"Oh no. I'm taking all my swings all over again." Hades grinned.

 **The son of the sea took a shower too, which felt awesome after a week of grimy travel. He changed clothes, ate a bag of chips, drank three Cokes, and was feeling better than ever. In the back of his mind, some small problem kept nagging him. He'd shared a dream or something with Andi... They should talk about it, nah, it could wait.**

 **Percy came out of the bedroom and found that Annabeth and Grover had also showered and changed clothes. Grover was eating potato chips to his heart's content, while Annabeth had cranked up the National Geographic Channel, and Andi was listening to some music on one of the free Ipods the room had.**

 **"All those stations," Percy told the blonde, "and you turn on National Geographic. Are you insane?"**

"At least consider MTV!" Apollo complained.

"That's not even Music Television anymore," Athena said with a scoff.

"Wha-Since when!?"

"It's _your_ domain. Why don't you know this?"

"...I get distracted..." Apollo mumbled sheepishly as he poked his fingers together.

 **"It's interesting." The wise child countered.**

 **"I feel good," Grover said. "I love this place."**

 **Without him even realizing it, the wings sprouted out of his shoes and lifted him a foot off the ground, then back down again.**

 **"Whoo!" Andi cheered as she began dancing to the music she was listening to. She got so into it that one of the white ear buds fell out as she grinned to the group, "I love Vegas."**

 **"So what now?" Annabeth asked. "Sleep?"**

"Sleep is for the dead, Annie."

"Says the tree princess." Nico muttered.

"No one asked you for your input, Death Breath." Thalia growled.

 **Grover and Percy looked at each other and grinned. They both held up their green plastic Lotus Cash cards.**

 **"Play time," the quest leader declared.**

"My, Percy, going to strip clubs at that age! With Annabeth no less!" Aphrodite tittered.

"I-We-That never happened!" Percy spluttered out.

"Don't worry, Percy," Leo said with a grin. "Your bachelor party, my bachelor party, Frank's bachelor party and Jason's bachelor party will be the only times we go to a strip club."

"No it won't." The girlfriends, and sister in Jason's case, of those present rebuffed.

Leo scoffed. "Yeah, and all of you _won't_ go to Chip n' Dale's for your bachelorette's..."

"Oh, you must!" Aphrodite cut in over the embarrassed girls' sputtering denials. "It's so fun!"

"Aphrodite, need I get another metal sheet?" Rhea asked sternly.

"...Pooh, have some fun, Rhea."

 **Percy bungee-jumped the lobby five or six times, did the waterslide, snowboarded the artificial ski slope, and played virtual-reality laser tag and FBI sharpshooter. Grover was going from game to game. He really liked the reverse hunter thing - where the deer got to go out and shoot the rednecks. Annabeth played trivia games and other smarty stuff. She especially seemed to like this huge 3-D simulator game where you built your own city, and could actually see the holographic buildings rise on the display board.**

 **Andi caught all this in passing as she herself was running around, enjoying herself with the games. She was interrupted though when she bumped into someone, falling on her bum, "Ow." Was the only thing that she and the person who ran into her could say.**

 **"Nico!" a girl's voice cried out, "Nico, you need to watch where you're going." The girl scolded before it turned apologetic, "I am so sorry, my brother, he's really excitable." The voice rushingly explained to Andi, who finally took a good look at the girl who was currently helping her up.**

"And there's Bianca...Again." Nico sighed sadly and hung his head. "That's part of why I don't like this story..."

"Hey, we're here for you, Nico." Hazel consoled her brother while the other demigods nodded alongside her. Nico gave her a small smile.

"Thanks."

 **The girl was about 5'2, and had a lean build. She had black eyes and long silky dark hair with a splash of freckles across her nose like her own sister that when combined with her olive skin tone made her look very cute. She was dressed in a pair of Levis and a brown turtleneck with a floppy green hat to finish her outfit.**

 **Andi brushed the imaginary dust off her shirt as the girl helped up a small boy, her brother presumably, who was shorter than Andi herself, his hair was darker than his sister's while his eyes were the same black and he shared her olive skin tone. He was wearing a pair of black shorts and a green tee shirt. Around his feet were a bunch of pictured cards, "Nico, apologize." She told him softly.**

"Now sit, stay. Roll over. Beg. An-n-nd raise the dead. Can you raise the dead? Who's a good-Ow!" Leo rubbed his arm. "For being younger, you sure hit hard..."

"I fought dead people." Nico said as if that explained everything.

 **"Yes, Bianca. Sorry." The boy said to the daughter of Zeus, his cheeks pink for not looking where he was going.**

 **Andi just giggled, and ruffled his messy black hair,**

"Oh, c'mon, I'm practically taller than her!" Nico groaned.

"Are not."

"Shut up, Bolt Brain."

 **getting the boy to whine, "It's fine, I get too excited at times too. I'm Andi by the way." She introduced herself and bent down to pick up the cards, the boy soon following her, hastily collecting them, "What are these?" she asked, seeing the Greek gods printed on them.**

 **"Mythomagic." Nico told her, his eyes shining with childish excitement, "It's about all the Greek gods and monsters and stuff." He informed her.**

 **"Nico, I don't think—" Bianca began, groaning at her brother's newest obsession. Heck, she still didn't understand it at all.**

 **"It's fine," Andi laughed to the older sister, "In fact, I'm half Greek." She winked to the younger boy.**

 **"Wow, really?"**

 **"You bet."**

 **"Sweet, you ever wonder, if you were some demigod or something?" He asked her excitedly.**

"Hit that one right on the nose, didn't you?" Piper asked with a giggle.

Nico grunted.

"Wow, you're adorable at this age," Hazel said, smiling lightly.

"Hazel!"

"Yeah, all kids are adorable pre-Emo." Thalia added.

"I am not Emo!" Nico groaned.

 **Andi bit her lip, she wanted to laugh; she was one, but sadly mortals couldn't know about that stuff. "I sometimes like to think I am." She informed him.**

 **"That's cool."**

 **Andi finished picking up the cards and looked to see the Zeus one, holding it up to the light appraisingly. "Huh, six hundred damage points with lightning bolts." Wow, you'd think it would be more with a glow stick that could shear off the top of a mountain.**

"Not a glow stick." Zeus grunted.

 **"Yeah," Nico said, taking the cards, "I mean, Zeus is rare, but not** _ **that**_ **rare. You get him in every starter deck.**

"Order now, get your own Zeus today."

"Be silent, Poseidon."

 **Now Hades, man, that thing is impossible to find." The boy pouted.**

"If only." Hades groaned. He glowered at the demigods. "It's like a map was handed out after my nephew stopped by."

"...Uh...Weird." Percy shared a look with Annabeth.

 **Oh, that info had to burn her dad. She let out a small snicker, even as an interested gleam appeared in her eyes, "Wanna teach me?" she asked the boy, who looked surprised, "Never got into these kind of things before and I want to see if it's fun."**

 **Nico nodded, "Sure," he said with a nudge of his head to one of the snack tables, "Come on." He said with the excitement of playing with someone. He rushed to the table as Bianca and Andi followed him at a more sedate pace.**

 **"Thanks for humoring him." The older sister told her with an apologetic look.**

"...Ouch." Nico frowned.

"Grover's low self-esteem got crushed after he kept losing to you," Percy said.

"Well, that's just because I'm the best at it." Nico scoffed.

 **Andi shook her head, "Nah, I'm genuinely interested in this game to be honest. Besides, he seems like a sweet kid."**

 **"He is. A bit of a pain at times, but brothers tend to be." Bianca giggled softly.**

 **As she sat down and Nico explained the rules, which weren't really that simple as she thought they would be, part of her couldn't help but be jealous of the boy. He was lucky to have his older sister. That dream with Thalia still rattled her. She wanted so desperately to help her own big sister, but she didn't know where to even start.**

 **Ten minutes later found Andi looking at the battlefield before her in disbelief.**

 **"And I win." Nico smiled.**

"Naturally." Nico smirked.

 **"Wha-?"**

 **"You should have focused more on defense." The boy explained as he collected his cards and figures.**

 **"Again." Andi told him, her competitiveness acting up as the boy shrugged.**

 **"Sure."**

 **Five minutes later, and Andi again found herself defeated. This time even faster than before.**

"Yeah, I'm just too pro." Nico buffed his nails on his bomber jacket while the other demigods snickered.

 **Frustration and anger swelling within her, Andi nibbled on her bottom lip. This ten year old was kicking her butt. Sure, she had just learned how to play, but after her first loss, she thought she had the game figured out.**

 **"Again."**

 **Lost.**

 **"How?"**

 **Lost.**

 **"Homer's left nut!"**

"D'oh!" Apollo cringed.

"Classic." Hermes snickered.

 **Lost.**

 **Andi's face was pouty as she childishly glared at the impish looking Nico.**

 **"Let's switch decks." She argued, but Nico just shrugged. Clearly thinking that it wouldn't make much of a difference.**

 **Lost.**

"He was right." Leo chuckled.

"Man, you are _ruthless_." Jason gaped. "Not even a pity loss for her?"

"With my ego? Please." Nico waved Jason off. "I need all the ego boosts I can get."

"You have an ego?" Percy asked.

"...God, man, just what did I see in you?"

"What!?"

"Never mind, Seaweed Brain." Annabeth rolled her eyes.

 **Andi was in disbelief with her mouth agape as Bianca, who was sitting near her, was silently laughing into her sleeve.**

 **"Stupid game." Andi muttered and crossed her arms childishly and huffed, a part of her just wanted to flip the table.**

 **"Don't mess with the best." Nico gloated.**

 **Bianca rolled her eyes. "Easy, Grandmaster Nico."**

 **"Grandmaster, I like that."**

"It does have a nice ring to it." Nico mused with a rub of his chin.

 **"I've created a monster," the sister laughed, "I should have never gotten you that starter pack." She said with a shake of her head.**

 **"Whatever." Andi said, glaring at the field, wondering what she did wrong as Nico collected all the cards and figures. A waitress dropped off some drinks and cookies and she picked one up and munched on it in irritation.**

"How can you eat a cookie in irritation?" Rhea asked, frowning.

"It takes skill...and a lot of anger." Thalia joked.

"Oh, so you'd be pro at it?" Nico asked.

"Emo Kid, I will punt you back to the NES days."

"Bring it, Princess."

"Children, stop fighting." Hestia glowered at them.

"Yes, Aunt Hestia." Nico and Thalia chorused, shooting each other dark looks.

 **Nico's eyes turned to one of the games and turned to his sister, as if asking her if he could check it out.**

 **"Just stay in sight." She told him in a stern tone, to which he nodded and rushed off to have fun. Bianca turned to Andi who was still pouting and laughed lightly, "It's just a game, come on." She joked to the British girl.**

 **"I just like to win is all."**

 **"I can tell." Mused the dark eyed girl.**

 **Andi turned to see Nico playing and spoke, "He's really lucky."**

 **"Hm?"**

 **"To have you, I mean; I wish my sister was around." Andi stated aloud, her jealousy taking hold of her, for a moment she imagined Thalia with her, arguing about games and teasing each other, before shaking her head to dispel those depressing thoughts.**

"I wouldn't have minded a little sister...Also wouldn't have minded having my little brother." Thalia muttered darkly.

"Thalia." Artemis frowned for the pain her new Lieutenant was in.

"I'm fine, Lady Artemis."

 **"Did, um, did something happen?" Bianca asked carefully to her new friend.**

 **Andi contemplated telling her, it wasn't like she would see the girl again. Plus talking about it always did help. "She's actually my half-sister, didn't know about her until the summer started. Same dad, different mums. She's, well, she's been in a coma, you could say, for about six years now."**

 **Bianca didn't even know what to say to that, "I'm sorry." She said, looking at Nico, imagining a similar situation in her own mind.**

 **"Not your fault." Andi waved her concerns off.**

 **Bianca sighed as she ran her hand through her long hair, "To be honest, sometimes I feel like I just want to be on my own," she told Andi, confiding to her as well, it just felt so easy to do so, like she could trust the British girl with anything, "I mean, I've been taking care of him for so long, I—"**

 **"Just want to be you?"**

 **"Exactly!"**

"And you can be...for about three weeks." Nico grumbled.

"...Dude, you okay?" Percy asked.

"Yeah. Just peachy." Nico snorted. "No, Percy, I don't think I'll ever be 'okay'. I'm passable for the moment. It's just...this brings up all sorts of memories and its hard to let them lie."

"...Oh..."

No one knew what to say to that, so the story continued.

 **A pensive look appeared on Andi's face at that admission and she looked at the other girl with her blue orbs, "But, who is Bianca?" She asked, sounding philosophical.**

 **"…I don't know." The twelve year old said, her brows knitted together, "But, I want to find out one day."**

 **"You know, I wonder who Andi is at times too." The black haired girl told her, "I have so many titles, but people don't see the real me at times." She sighed out, even more so now with who her father is.**

 **Expectations were always something that came with her in the magical world, but now? Those expectations felt even heavier as a demigoddess and she wondered if they would crush her one day.**

 **"Maybe we can both find out some day." The dark eyed girl told her with a small smile.**

 **Andi gave her a beaming one in return, "I'd like that." She honestly would.**

"...Hello, what's this?" Leo perked up.

"No." Thalia and Nico shared a surprised look at their agreement before settling another glare on Leo.

"C'mon, it'll be fun..."

"No."

"Think about it, two warring fathers-!"

"Leo." Jason cut in.

"What?" Leo asked. Jason pointed behind him and Leo turned to see Hades and Zeus looking at Leo intently. "Ah...Yeah...Shutting up."

 **They chatted a bit more until Nico came back to them, telling them that a cake buffet had just opened at one of the hotel's restaurants.**

 **It was cake, which was always a wondrous gift to mankind.**

"Only if it's _blue_." Percy said firmly.

"Good luck keeping _that_ out of your kids, Annabeth." Piper joked.

"That's-You – So not funny, Piper!" Annabeth hissed with red cheeks.

 **"Bianca?" Nico asked, his eyes wide.**

 **"Yes, Nico?" Bianca said, looking just as wide eyed.**

 **"Where does it all go?" he asked in whispered awe as Andi ate cake with both great speed and elegance with her fork and knife and napkin.**

 **"I-I don't know." She answered, feeling a little jealous since it looked like Andi wasn't even gaining a pound! This despite having finished five full sized cakes!**

 **How is that even possible?!**

"Zeus is a glutton."

"I am not!" Zeus glared at Hades.

"She likely got it from her grandfather," Poseidon said. His sisters and elder brother scowled at the thought while Zeus grimaced.

"I could believe that." Rhea nodded.

 **"How did you eat all that?" Nico asked in awe.**

 **Andi just blinked at him, "It's cake." She said as if that was the answer to everything.**

 **The boy was about to say something when he was interrupted by a voice calling out, "Andi!"**

 **The daughter of Zeus put a forkful of cake into her mouth and as she turned to face Percy swallowed, "Oh hey, Percy!" she smiled as he ran up to her, "Hey, these are my new friends—" but he cut her off.**

 **"Yeah, hey, whatever." He said very quickly, and quite rudely she noted, as he didn't even bother to look at them. "Andi, quest, underworld, World War III. We need to leave." He told her.**

 **"But cake." She said, holding it in front of him, he slapped it out of her hands as Andi watched in horror as it fell to the floor.**

"...Oh gods, I have to watch this again?" Percy groaned.

"Suffer, Prissy." Ares grinned.

 **"Forget the stupid cake!" He told her as she smacked him across the face. And this wasn't some open palm slap. This was a knuckle rapping against his jaw pimping backhand that sent him stumbling a foot or two, "Ow!" He shouted, holding his probably bruising jaw.**

 **Andi looked livid, "You, you," she muttered darkly as her bangs curtained her eyes, "Jerk-off!" she shouted as she glowered, a breeze picking up despite them being indoors, "How could you do that to pure innocent cake!"**

 **Percy blinked at her and then grinned, "Cake is stupid."**

 **Andi was stunned silent, "Take that back Jackson, and I may give you a quick death." She told him menacingly.**

 **"Your butt looks big, had too much cake?" He mocked her.**

"Oh, Percy..." Aphrodite covered her eyes. "And Percabeth was going so smoothly!"

"That's – Other me!" Percy groaned.

 **Andi twisted around to look at her booty. It looked perfectly fine thank you very much! She turned back to glare at him, "Last words?" she asked him as her hands were encased in a miniature cyclone, getting Bianca and Nico to just stare at her.**

 **"Can you do that when you get angry?" Nico asked his sister in a fearful whisper.**

 **His sister gulped, "No."**

 **"Oh, good."**

"She'd probably raise the dead to chase after you," Hazel said. "Or pelt you with gems. Or jump scare you with shadows. Or-"

"Hazel, stop before you give yourself ideas." Nico grumbled.

 **"Catch me if you can." Percy told her with a grin, before he ran off to where Annabeth was getting Grover, so they could get out of this freaky place.**

 **"Jackson!" She roared. "Get back here!" She demanded while giving chase, but returned a second later. "See ya guys, got to go kill my idiot of a cousin, peace out." She finished with a wink and disappeared.**

 **The siblings were quiet, just standing there watching the whole scene until Nico spoke up, "I like her. She's funny."**

 **"Yeah." Bianca laughed, before ushering her brother back to their room. The elder di Angelo hoped to see her new friend again someday, it was nice to talk about stuff with someone like Andi.**

"And perhaps more..." Leo trailed off.

"No! Windi for life!" Apollo proclaimed with a fist thrust in the air.

Nico and Thalia scowled, both for different reasons.

 **After catching up with Percy, who was dancing around a table with her so as not to get hit as he explained that people check in, but never leave. Something he'd figured out when he met some people from the 1970s.**

 **She forgave him then, but still punched him in the arm for badmouthing cake and her perfectly fine rump. They met up with Grover and Annabeth as they headed to the exit.**

 **The Lotus bellhop hurried up to them. "Well, now, are you ready for your platinum cards?"**

 **"We're leaving," Percy told him.**

 **"Such a shame," the bellhop said, "We just added an entire new floor full of games for platinum-card members."**

 **He held out the cards, and the kids wanted one, really they did. But if they took one, they might never leave.**

"Like that's a bad thing?" Hermes grinned. "Makeshift immortality."

 **Grover reached for the card, but Annabeth yanked his arm back before he could grab hold of one and said, "No, thanks."**

 **Andi walked up to the bellhop as Percy tried to pull her back. The man held out the card with a smile, but his face twisted into pain as Andi gave him a hard kick to the junk, there was the distinct sound of a pop too. Poor dude.**

"Ohh..." The males in the room gained looks of horror and crossed their legs.

 **"How dare you use pure innocent cake against me you soulless heathen." She spat at him and walked over his downed body, deliberately walking her way up his spine, chin in the air with a huff.**

"For shame, Hades." Hestia frowned.

"Whatever." Hades rolled his eyes.

 **They walked toward the door, and as they did, the smell of the food and the sounds of the games seemed to get more and more inviting. It was tempting, but they pressed on.**

 **It took a great deal of effort, but eventually they burst through the doors of the Lotus Casino and suddenly as if some force that had been restraining them had released its hold, they found themselves running down the sidewalk, putting as much distance between them and the Lotus as possible. It felt like afternoon, about the same time of day they'd gone into the casino, but something was wrong. The weather had completely changed. It was stormy, with heat lightning flashing out in the desert. That hadn't been what the weather was like when they got to Vegas.**

 **Ares' backpack was slung over Percy's shoulder, which was odd, because he was sure he'd thrown it in the trash can in room 4001, but at the moment he had other problems to worry about.**

"Yes, his uncle would've been very upset had he not been the son of the sea god," Hades said with a smirk. "Everything goes back, doesn't it Poseidon?"

"You insult me, Hades. I know a pollution joke when I hear one," Poseidon said with a frown while Percy blinked.

"Wait, is that why it returned to me?"

"It was likely jinxed to return to you," Poseidon said quickly before his brother got the wrong idea.

The stink eye Zeus leveled on him didn't help in the slightest.

 **The son of the sea ran to the nearest newspaper stand and read the year first. He loudly thanked the gods that it was still the same year but quickly paled when he noticed something else.**

"It could've very well been sixty years later, gosh darn it."

"Leo, I swear-!" Hazel started.

"What if they didn't have chicken nuggets?" Frank asked.

"Frank!"

"What? That's a legitimate question!"

 **Curious herself, Andi peered over his shoulder to check out the date. It was June Twentieth.**

 **They had been in the Lotus Casino for five days.**

 **Which meant that now, they had only one day left until the summer solstice. One day to complete the quest to stop WWIII from happening.**

 **Andi peered over his shoulder, "Well, it's official. I'm never coming back to Vegas. Ever."**

 **Stupid evil casinos.**

"They're not evil!" Hermes protested.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

 **Reading The Ever Twisting Wind: The Lightning Thief**

 **Chapter Eleven: A Trip Under the City of Angels**

* * *

"Well that was fun, I think I'll continue," Frank said with a small smile sent Percy's way.

"Laugh it up, Fuzzball." Percy muttered.

 **It was Annabeth's idea.**

"So accusing!" Piper smirked.

"Well it was," Percy said, getting a thump on the arm from his girlfriend for his measure. "Ow, Wise Girl, you wound me."

"Do I have to kiss it to make it better?"

"Yes, please."

"If you kiss again, I'm going to tease you mercilessly," Thalia said before their lips could connect.

"Yeah, so-?"

"Percy, later." Annabeth cut in, sitting up straight and glowering at her smirking friend.

"Wha-Annabeth!" Percy protested.

" _Later_." Annabeth promised.

Percy brooded.

So not his favorite chapter.

 **She loaded them into the back of a Vegas taxi, Andi stealing shotgun once more, as if they had enough money for it, and told the driver, "Los Angeles, please."**

 **The cabbie chewed his cigar and sized them up. "That's three hundred miles. For that, you gotta pay up front."**

 **"You accept casino debit cards?" Annabeth asked.**

 **He shrugged, holding out his hand expectantly. "Some of 'em. Same as credit cards. I gotta swipe 'em through first."**

 **Annabeth handed him her green LotusCash card.**

 **He looked at it skeptically.**

 **"Swipe it," Annabeth invited.**

 **He did.**

 **His meter machine started rattling. The lights flashed. Finally an infinity symbol came up next to the dollar sign.**

 **The cigar fell out of the driver's mouth. He looked back at them, his eyes wide. "Where to in Los Angeles... uh, Your Highness?"**

 **"The Santa Monica Pier." Annabeth sat up a little straighter. They could all tell she liked the "Your Highness" thing.**

"Got that from her mother."

"Poseidon, must you really?" Hera asked tiredly.

"Well, if the sandal fits." Poseidon smirked at his glaring rival.

 **"Get us there fast, and you can keep the change."**

 **Maybe she shouldn't have told him that. The cab's speedometer never dipped below ninety-five the whole way through the Mojave Desert.**

 **On the road, they had plenty of time to talk. Percy told Annabeth and Grover about his latest dream, Andi did the same but refused to talk about the first and third part of hers, despite that it was clear that the details got sketchier the more they tried to remember them. The Lotus Casino seemed to have short-circuited their memory. The two couldn't recall what the invisible servant's voice had sounded like, only that it was familiar somehow. The servant had called the monster in the pit something other than "my lord" ... some special name or title...**

 **"The Silent One?" Annabeth suggested. "The Rich One? Both of those are nicknames for Hades."**

 **"Maybe..." Percy said, though neither sounded quite right to him.**

 **"It wasn't those." Andi said, pensively gazing out the window from her seat.**

"What thrilling drama between them all." Hades drawled.

"Isn't it though!?" Aphrodite asked with a beaming smile.

Hades clapped his hand over his eyes.

Did he miss the memo of sarcasm being out of style again?

 **"That throne room sounds like Hades'," Grover said. "That's the way it's usually described."**

 **Percy shook his head. "Something's wrong. The throne room wasn't the main part of the dream. And that voice from the pit...I don't know. It just didn't feel like a god's voice."**

 **Annabeth's eyes widened.**

 **"What?" He asked.**

 **"Oh...nothing. I was just—No, it** _ **has**_ **to be Hades."**

 **"Bethy." Andi said, turning from her seat, "Someone else could have—"**

"Hm, unlike you, your daughter seems to be rather open minded."

"Shut up, Hades."

 **"No! It-it has to be Hades. You said the servant failed right? So the bolt is still out there. He must think we have it. It would explain the Furies coming after us." The child of the war goddess desperately insisted, her face as pale as a sheet..**

 **"But if I'd already retrieved the bolt," Percy pointed out, "why would I be traveling to the Underworld?"**

 **"To threaten him?" Grover suggested. "To bribe or blackmail him into getting your mom back."**

 **Andi just stared at the goat, small tears coming from the corner of her eyes, "Oh Grov, I knew you could be evil if you tried." She praised like a mother would her child, "I knew I'd corrupt you one day."**

"...I'd hire her." Hades said after a long moment of silence.

"Absolutely not!" Zeus snapped.

"What? I'd treat her fair." Hades smirked. "I am known for it, unlike someone's irrational paranoia."

"I am not paranoid!" Zeus snarled.

"No, just short tempered."

"Enough! Both of you!" Rhea snapped with a frown aimed at the two.

 **"I'm** _ **not**_ **evil!" Grover replied indignantly.**

 **"But the thing in the pit said it was waiting for two items," Percy said with a knitted brow, ignoring the heated look Grover was sending Andi. "If the master bolt is one, what's the other?"**

 **Putting aside his spat with Andi, Grover turned to Percy and shook his head, clearly mystified.**

 **Andi sighed as she stared ahead of the taxi, she knew the answer was right in front of her, but just couldn't figure it out.**

 **"You have an idea about what might be in that pit, don't you?" The son of the sea asked the child of wisdom. "I mean, if it isn't Hades?"**

 **"Percy...let's not talk about it. Because if it isn't Hades...No. It** _ **has**_ **to be Hades."**

"And you wonder why I dislike demigods?" Hades grumbled.

"Hades..."

"Yes, yes, mother, I know."

 **"I'm not his biggest fan either, Bethy, but we have to give him the benefit of the doubt." The more Andi looked at this quest, the more her doubts about Hades being behind the theft of the bolt grew.**

 **"What other options do we have, Andi?"**

 **That was true, they were headed for the underworld. Even if it was someone else, they had no other clues, and by the time they managed to rule out Hades and found some, if they could, it would be too late to stop this war.**

 **More important for the sky child though was that she was going to slug Chiron for this later, trainer of heroes or not!**

 **"I don't know, Bethy," Andi frowned, rubbing her arm in a sign of her unease, "Something's just not right."**

 **The rest of the questers knew Andi was right but were too afraid of what that would mean to accept it, she could tell as much from how they fidgeted in their seats.**

 **Andi wanted to pray she was wrong too, but with her luck? It was probably pointless.**

 **The quartet brooded on their worries for most of the trip as wasteland rolled by. It was not until they passed a sign that said CALIFORNIA STATE LINE, 12 MILES that the silence was broken.**

 **"The answer is in the Underworld," Annabeth assured them. "You two saw spirits of the dead, right? There's only one place that could have them. We're doing the right thing."**

"I'm with Hades on this one. Despicable, the whole lot of you." Dionysus snorted.

"Be quiet, Dionysus." Zeus ordered.

"Yes, yes, forbid me for having an opinion." The Wine God rolled his eyes.

"And being a hypocrite," Poseidon said.

"Humph, you all started it, I merely learned it."

 **She followed that up by suggesting clever strategies for getting into the Land of the Dead in a bid to boost their morale, but the team wasn't really into it.**

 **At sunset, the taxi dropped them at the beach in Santa Monica. It smelt horrible, especially so for the Brit if her comments were any indication. Personally, Percy thought she was just overreacting. Again. There were carnival rides lining the Pier, palm trees lining the sidewalks, homeless guys sleeping in the sand dunes, and surfer dudes waiting for the perfect wave.**

 **Grover, Annabeth, Andi, and Percy walked down to the edge of the surf.**

 **"What now?" Annabeth asked.**

 **The Pacific was turning gold in the setting sun. Percy was reminded of Montauk as he stared at the ocean opposite of the one he was so used to. How could there be a god who could control all that? What did his science teachers use to say — two-thirds of the earth's surface was covered in water?**

"There's a lot of logistics involved." Poseidon chimed.

"I'm sure." Hades drawled in disbelief.

 **How could he be the son of someone that powerful?**

"Well, first Poseidon and Sally Jackson listened to smooth jazz."

"Apollo!"

"Right, right, my mistake." Apollo grinned. "They went on a few dates and _then_ listened to smooth jazz."

"You are not funny." Poseidon glowered at his nephew.

"Bah, c'mon, uncle P, you know you love me."

 **With a deep calming breath for his nerves, Percy stepped into the surf.**

 **"Percy?" Annabeth said. "What are you doing?"**

 **"He'll be fine, Bethy. Remember St. Louis?" Andi chimed in.**

 **He ignored the two girls and just kept walking, up to his waist, then his chest.**

 **The blonde called after him, apparently ignoring Andi. "You know how polluted that water is? There're all kinds of toxic—"**

 **At the same time, Percy heard Andi scoff.**

 **Percy was already under before Annabeth could finish. He was thankful for it. He was sure Andi was about to tear Annabeth a new one for ignoring her, she hated being ignored.**

"Definitely Zeus'." Rhea nodded.

Zeus glowered at his siblings and children's amused smirks.

"One word, and damn the oath I made years ago."

"We wouldn't dare mock you, Zeus," Hera said with a straight face.

"Hera."

"Yes, beloved?"

"Stop mocking me."

 **"I don't think he was listening." Andi pointed out with a smug grin to the child of wisdom, getting a glare from her friend. But Andi just shrugged it off.**

 _ **Ignore me will you? See how you like it!**_ **The sky child thought to herself vindictively.**

 **The trio of remaining questers were waiting patiently for Percy for about five minutes when suddenly a flash of fire appeared out of nowhere. It was accompanied by a melodious voice that trilled happily.**

 **"Fawkes?!" The young child of Zeus cried out in surprise from the ground where the she'd fallen in the shock of the phoenix abruptly appearing in front of her.**

 **Unperturbed by this, the brilliant red, orange, and yellow phoenix roosted on her chest.**

"Stupid flaming chicken..." Hades sneered at the bird. "Tears that heal...Bull."

"Hey." Poseidon sent his brother a look.

"It's bull. It healed poison!"

"Yeah, but, that's a different version..."

"Details." Hades scoffed.

 **The phoenix trilled once more, indicating with its head the letter tied to his leg.**

 **Grover was in awe at seeing the marvelous magical animal. Annabeth however was more wary and instead drew her dagger.**

 **"Andi, is that a phoenix? Is it a threat?" Annabeth asked warily, ready to act to defend her friends if the need arose.**

 **Grover looked shocked that Annabeth could even think that.**

Annabeth frowned.

"Wise Girl? What's wrong?" Percy asked, confused at Annabeth's sudden frown.

"...I just noticed that said 'could' and not 'would'..." Annabeth muttered sourly.

"...I don't get it."

"It implies she couldn't have considered it a threat, Percy." Poseidon answered for his son, smiling in amusement despite the glare from his rival.

 **"Relax, Bethy. Fawkes here is a friend," Andi reassured as she took the letter. Relieved of his burden, Fawkes jumped to the sandy beach, "And yes, he's a phoenix, my headmaster's to be precise. So?"**

 **"Andi, that's a phoenix.** _ **The**_ **Phoenix is a monster. Of course I'm wary of a creature likely descended from it." Annabeth calmly explained.**

 **"Seriously?" Andi asked sounding shocked as she stood back up.**

 **Annabeth just nodded.**

 **"Well, Fawkes is a friend, so relax." Andi assured. "I mean, you could sense that just from his song, right?"**

 **"Plenty of monsters have powers to charm, Andi." Annabeth countered with a frown.**

 **"You know what? Just trust me ok?" Andi said finally, her frustration at Annabeth's paranoia boiling over.**

"Got it from Zeus."

"Oh, like you're _not_ paranoid!?" Zeus shot back, glaring daggers at Hades.

"I'm paranoid, just not _as_ paranoid." Hades smirked.

Zeus looked about ready to have the equivalent of an Olympian's aneurism.

 **"Sure," Annabeth agreed noncommittally, her body still tense and her knife still in hand.**

 **Clearly sensing the brewing argument, Grover who had previously been preoccupied with eagerly talking to the bird in a series of goat bleats and trilling bird speaks, finally intervened. "Annabeth, relax. I've talked to Fawkes. He's a friend, just like Andi says."**

 **The daughter of Athena relaxed immediately, even sheathing her dagger.**

 _ **So you trust him, but not me.**_ **Andi thought unhappily to herself. She shook her head to dispel these thoughts though, because she knew how unfair they were. Of course, Annabeth trusted Grover more, she'd known him a lot longer than she knew Andi.**

"Wow, Annie. Just wow." Thalia shook her head.

"It's a _monster_!" Annabeth groaned.

"It's just like Tyson all over again." Percy sighed.

"That's not funny, Percy." Annabeth frowned.

 **With Grover's confirmation of his intentions, Annabeth moved to examine the famed bird closer, though Andi noted she kept her hand on her dagger's hilt**

 **Andi just shook her head at her friend's paranoia, before she opened the letter addressed to her from Dumbledore. Let's see: worried about her disappearance, telling her to grab Fawkes by the tail feathers so she can return home for her own safety. Apparently there was a mass murdering wizard on the loose who worked for Voldemort, and was most probably after her. Once more: worried about her and yadda, yadda, yadda other generic worries.**

 **The aerokinetic shrugged, sorry Headmaster, she had better things to do right now. She shuffled through her bag and pulled out a pen she stole from the hotel and turned the letter around.**

 **"Andi, is that a Lotus pen?" Annabeth asked from where she was continuing to eye the fire bird warily.**

 **"Yep."**

 **"…What else did you take?" Annabeth asked, gaining a knowing look in her stormy eyes.**

 **Andi tapped the pen against her chin in thought, "Well, the bath towels, the robes, the soaps, the scents, the fuzzy slippers, the pens, pads, hand lotions, shampoos—"**

"A sister after my own heart." Hermes smiled happily.

"No." Zeus scowled at him.

 **"Basically, everything but the bathroom sink." Grover laughed as he paused in his chatting with the phoenix.**

 **"I swear, if Zeus didn't claim you, I'd figure you a child of Hermes." Grover concluded as he shook his head in amusement.**

"I'd claim her anyway."

"Hermes!"

"As a sister from another mister's madam." Hermes added with a roll of his eyes. "Geez, so quick to jump to conclusions..."

 **"Why thank you~!" Andi retorted with a nod and began to write her return letter.**

 _ **BUSY, GOT STUFF TO DO. SEE YOU IN SCHOOL! FROM ANDI POTTER, COUNSELOR OF CABIN ONE.**_

"...Oh, great. Now Dumble-doofus knows." Aphrodite huffed.

"I like that." Apollo grinned. "Dumble-doofus."

 **She turned back to Fawkes and pet the bird on the head, "You know I can't come back right now, right?" she asked the bird, who trilled to Grover.**

 **"He says:** _ **Of course, you can't. Honestly, the Headmaster is a fool to try to manage you like he does. As if a demigod would need him to tell her what to do.**_ **" Grover said in a bored tone to presumably match Fawkes'.**

 **"Thank you, you brilliant bird." Andi grinned and held out the letter for Fawkes. The firebird promptly snatched the reply from her with its beak and flashed away in a burst of fire.**

 **"Andi, what did the phoneix mean about your Headmaster trying to "manage" you?" Annabeth asked concerned.**

"Trying to determine her destiny, make sure she's the chosen one when she's really not." Apollo counted off his fingers. "Let's see, oh yes, putting her in a home that obviously doesn't want her as an excuse to teach her humility...What else am I missing?"

"A lot." Zeus grit out.

"Count yourself lucky, Brother." Hades mumbled. "Poseidon's ran away at first notice and yours, well...she's happier than mine at times."

"It's just a book and you know it, Hades!" Zeus scowled.

"Yes. Bear that in mind when listening," Hades said with a raised brow.

 **"Professor Dumbledore just likes making sure I'm okay is all." Andi dismissed easily. "Don't worry about it."**

 **Annabeth and Grover exchanged concerned looks with each other for a moment, but were distracted from their worries about Andi when Percy suddenly came out of the water.**

"Naked." Aphrodite tittered.

"Oh my!" Leo said with a perfect impression. He got odd looks and shrugged. "What? I might hate the show, but I dig the cast. Shatner is awesome."

 **Percy came out of the water to find Annabeth and Grover shooting an unconcerned Andi worried looks. He tried asking them what happened, but they pressed him to go first, so he told the group what had happened, and showed them the four pearls.**

 **Annabeth grimaced. "No gift comes without a price."**

 **"They were free." Percy told her, making Andi shake her head at him for not understanding.**

 **"No." Annabeth told him sternly. "'There is no such thing as a free lunch.' That's an ancient Greek saying that translated pretty well into American. There will be a price. You wait."**

"Yes...Your soul..." Leo intoned. He winced when Hazel reached over to punch his arm at the same time Nico did. "Ow! Not cool!"

"Deal with it." The children of Hades/Pluto grunted back.

 **On that happy thought, they started to head for the destination of their quest.**

 **"So I've told you what happened to me, what did you guys do while waiting?" he asked carefully, mindful of the tense scene he found when he got back from his trip into the deep blue. They told him, getting the water boy to stare at them.**

 **"…I missed seeing a phoenix?" Percy asked, his eyes wide.**

 **"Yep." Grover nodded.**

 **"Damn it." He muttered, why did he miss out on all the cool stuff!?**

"Perseus Jackson!" Hestia frowned.

"Other me!" Percy groaned.

 **Walking over to Grover, Percy asked in a whisper, "And why were you guys looking worriedly over at Andi?"**

 **"Because they're paranoid, that's why." Andi answered. Apparently his whisper hadn't been quiet enough.**

 **"And you're being too naive, Andi." Annabeth rebutted.**

 **"Whatever." Andi scoffed, "You guys go tell Percy your little conspiracy theory then and see what he thinks."**

 **They quickly explained how the phoenix had insinuated, Annabeth's word for it, that Andi's school Headmaster was manipulating her and frankly when Grover further explained that the bird was said Headmaster's own familiar, well, Percy was pretty worried himself. But he knew saying that would just upset Andi and the quest couldn't afford that right now. So instead, he settled for saying that, "It sounds like he just wants to make sure she's ok."**

"Yes, because _Percy_ is an expert on conspiracy theories," Thalia said with a snort.

"For once, we agree." Nico smirked.

"Worst. Cousins. Ever." Percy scowled.

 **Andi beamed at him for taking her side and turned around to practically skip down the road to the bus stop they were heading towards.**

 **Annabeth and Grover however frowned at him, but he just gestured that he was keeping an eye on her. Percy was worried they didn't get what he meant, but was pleased that they both nodded and repeated the gesture. Andi might not see how her precious Headmaster might be manipulating her, but as her friends they would do their best to look for her to make sure he didn't hurt her.**

"All she needs to do is ask and I can...persuade him." Hermes smirked and played with a dagger he manifested out of the air.

"No."

"Aw, c'mon, the shrimp was actually acting fun!" Ares complained while Hermes shrugged and willed the knife he made away.

 **With the last of their money, they took the bus into West Hollywood. Percy showed the driver the Underworld address slip he'd taken from Aunty Em's Garden Gnome Emporium, but the guy had never heard of DOA Recording Studios.**

 **"You remind me of somebody I saw on TV," he told the child of the sea. "You a child actor or something?"**

 **In a second, Andi used her freaky Mist powers and told him they were kids' from a cereal commercial. He bought it and even asked them for their autographs for his own kids. They signed with made up names and got off at the next stop.**

 **They wandered for miles on foot, looking for DOA. Nobody seemed to know where it was. It didn't appear in the phone book either.**

 **Twice, they had to duck into alleys to avoid cop cars.**

"In the criminal justice system, there are special cases concerning demigods, monsters and Gods themselves. These are their stories." Apollo grinned and clapped his hands twice.

"Apollo, we will _never_ make a _Law & Order: Olympus_." Zeus groaned into his hand. "Stop hinting at it."

"Ruin all of my fun..." Apollo pouted.

 **Percy saw his step-dad on the Tele, crying crocodile tears about how he was some terrorist-in-training and how he wanted his car back, they also showed a grainy picture of them and Ares outside that Diner in Denver. Grover had to pull him away before the child of Poseidon tried to punch the T.V. through the window in anger.**

"Still think I should've done it..." Percy grumbled sourly.

 **It got dark, and hungry-looking characters started coming out on the streets to play. Now, don't get her wrong, she had seen the seedier side of London before, Knockturn Alley too, but the States, well, it seemed different to the British girl, even more deprived, in a way.**

 **They walked past gangbangers, bums, and street hawkers, who looked at them like they were trying to figure if the group was worth the trouble of mugging.**

 **As the questers hurried pass the entrance of an alley, a voice from the darkness said, "Hey, you."**

 **And like a daft moron, Percy stopped.**

"Wh...I'm not a moron!" Percy scowled.

"Dude, you are if you're stopping whenever someone says 'hey, you.'" Leo snorted. He crossed his arms. "Did you always do that whenever the Electric Company came on?"

"...The wha-?"

"...Percy, I'm ashamed..." Leo shook his head. "That show was brilliant."

 **Before they knew it, the group was surrounded. A gang of kids had surrounded them. Six of them in all — white kids with expensive clothes and mean faces. Andi was reminded rather strongly of Malfoy and his lot, or Dudley and his little 'gang'. Basically, rich brats who thought they were tough.**

 **Instinctively, Percy uncapped Riptide.**

 **When the sword appeared out of nowhere, the kids backed off, but their leader was either really stupid or really brave, because he kept coming at Percy with a switchblade.**

 **Andi was about to knock them out with her magic but before she could, Percy made the mistake of swinging.**

 **The kid yelped. But he was mortal, so unluckily for the questers the blade passed harmlessly right through his chest. He looked down at the sight. "What the—"**

"Oh my gosh, it's a magic trick! Do it again!" Piper cheered.

"...Piper..." Hazel frowned.

"Oh, sorry, Hazel. I'm just kidding."

"I know, but still..."

 **"Run!" Percy screamed at his friends and took off.**

 **Annabeth and Grover pushed two kids out of the way and raced down the street after Percy, not knowing where they were going and turned sharply at a corner.**

 **Andi just stunned the group of punks with her magic before unhurriedly following after her friends, muttering all way about Percy's stupidity.**

 **Up ahead, she saw Annabeth shout, "there!" and run into the only store on the block that looked open. The sign above the door said something like CRSTUY'S WATRE BDE ALPACE.**

"Oh joy." Percy, Poseidon, and Annabeth drawled.

Thalia smirked. "Well, guess we get to see them _stretch_ their wings."

"That not only isn't funny, it doesn't make sense." Annabeth told her friend.

"Yeah, it was a bit of a _stretch_ , wasn't it?" Thalia grinned, glad her friend walked into that setup.

"...Touché." Annabeth grumbled.

 **"I think we lost them," Andi heard Grover say in between pants as she sauntered into the store.**

 **"Lost who?" A voice behind her friends boomed.**

 **They all jumped, even Andi who had actually noticed the man walking up to them. Hell, she actually hovered in the air for two extra seconds. The man's voice was just** _ **that**_ **surprisingly deep, like a gong.**

 **Standing behind her friends was a guy who looked like a raptor in a leisure suit. He was at least seven feet tall, with absolutely no hair. He had gray, leathery skin, thick-lidded eyes, and a cold, reptilian smile. He moved towards them slowly, like some predator.**

 **His suit might've come from the Lotus Casino. It belonged back in the seventies, big-time. The shirt was silk paisley, unbuttoned halfway down his hairless chest. The lapels on his velvet jacket were as wide as landing strips. The silver chains around his neck — you couldn't even count them.**

 **"I'm Crusty," he said, with a tartar-yellow smile.**

 **Andi nearly gagged at how hideous he was.**

"Indeed. Not a handsome one of Poseidon's, that's for sure." Aphrodite nodded.

 **"Sorry to barge in," Percy told him. "We were just, um, browsing."**

 **"You mean hiding from those no-good kids," he grumbled. "They hang around every night. I get a lot of people in here, thanks to them.**

"Wouldn't be surprised if he hired them," Poseidon said dryly.

 **Say, you want to look at a water bed?"**

 **Percy was about to say no, but the guy grabbed his shoulder and pulled him towards the showroom before he could get a word out.**

 **There was every kind of water bed you could imagine: different kinds of wood, different patterns of sheets; queen-size, king-size, emperor-of-the-universe-size.**

 **Andi assumed her dad had that last one to fit his ego.**

"...Stop. Staring. At. Me." Zeus grit out through clenched teeth to the other Olympians.

 **"This is my most popular model." Crusty spread his hands proudly over a bed covered with black satin sheets, with built-in Lava Lamps on the headboard. The mattress vibrated, so it looked like oil-flavored Jell-O.**

 **"Million-hand massage," Crusty told them. "Go on, try it out. Shoot, take a nap. I don't care. No business today, anyway." He waved them on confidently.**

 **"Um," Percy began, "I don't think—"**

 **"Million-hand massage!" Grover cried, and dove in. "Oh, you guys! This is cool."**

 **"Hmm," Crusty said, stroking his leathery chin. "Almost, almost."**

 **"Almost what?" Andi asked, her trouble meter tittering to the red.**

 **He looked at Annabeth. "Do me a favor and try this one over here, honey. Might fit."**

"You are a bit short."

"Percy, shut up."

"Try to make one joke..."

 **Annabeth said, "But what—"**

 **He patted her reassuringly on the shoulder and led her over to the Safari Deluxe model with teakwood lions carved into the frame and a leopard-patterned comforter. When Annabeth didn't want to lie down, Crusty pushed her.**

 **"Hey!" she protested.**

 **Crusty snapped his fingers. "Ergo!"**

 **Ropes sprang from the sides of the bed, lashing around Annabeth, holding her to the mattress.**

 **Grover tried to get up, but ropes sprang from his black-satin bed, too, and lashed him down.**

 **"N-not c-c-cool!" He yelled, his voice vibrating from the million-hand massage. "N-not c-cool a-at all!"**

 **"Why am I always right?!" Andi complained,** _ **seriously!**_

"It is difficult." Zeus sighed while Thalia nodded in agreement.

Percy, Nico, and their respective sire all rolled their eyes.

Talk about ego.

 **The monster, what else could he be, looked at Annabeth, then turned towards the black haired children and grinned. "Almost, darn it."**

 **They made to move, but the guy's hands snapped to the back of their necks before they barely moved an inch. "Whoa, kids. Don't worry. We'll find you two one in a sec."**

 **"Let our friends go." Percy told him as Andi struggled against the hold on her neck.**

 **"What Baywatch said. And isn't the customer always right?"**

 **"Of course I'll let them go." The man told them, "But I've got to make them fit, first."**

"Dude, your brothers are weird." Leo told Percy.

"Tyson's okay."

"He's a cyclops that can grow into a giant and has a Harpie girlfriend. Not saying he's not a bad guy, but still. Weird." Leo shrugged.

 **"What do you mean?" the boy asked, sounding like he knew he wasn't going to like the answer.**

 **"All the beds are exactly six feet, see? Your friends are too short, this one especially." He looked at Andi, "Got to make them fit."**

 **Andi hissed at the reminder of her height, eyes narrowing dangerously.**

 **Annabeth and Grover kept struggling.**

 **"Can't stand imperfect measurements," Crusty muttered. "Ergo!"**

 **A new set of ropes leaped out from the top and bottom of the beds, wrapping around Grover and Annabeth's ankles, then around their armpits. The ropes started tightening, pulling their friends from both ends.**

 **"Don't worry," Crusty told them, "These are stretching jobs. Maybe three extra inches on their spines. They might even live. Now why don't we find a bed you like, huh?"**

"As much as I would _love_ to be taller," Leo said with a snort. "I think I'll pass on his offer."

 **"Percy!" Grover yelled.**

 **"Your real name's not Crusty, is it?" Percy asked cautiously.**

 **"Legally, it's Procrustes," the salesman admitted.**

 **"The Stretcher," Percy said. Andi recalled the story from her lessons back at camp: the giant who'd tried to kill Theseus with excess hospitality on his way to Athens.**

 **"Yeah," the salesman said. "But who can pronounce Procrustes? Bad for business. Now 'Crusty', anybody can say that."**

"Not a good name, though." Apollo grunted. "Not trustworthy."

"Oh, c'mon, I know plenty of guys named Crusty!" Hermes waved him off.

"My point exactly."

"Bro, hurtful."

"Truth hurts."

 **"You know what," Andi blinked, "I'm sick of this." She said in a perfectly honest tone.**

 **"I'm sure you are kid, no worries, we'll have you at least five six. Least I can do."**

 **"No, I mean, running into a monster, every damn time on this** _ **stupid**_ **quest…I am just sick of it." Andi told the salesman blandly, "** _ **Vinculum facti inimicum capient. Sagitta Magica, Aer capturae.**_ **" (Make shackles capture my enemy. Magic Arrows, Capturing Wind.)**

 **"Hey!" Crusty shouted as he was wound up in ropes of wind, getting him to release the black haired demigods.**

 **"Percy, be a good boy and get Bethy and Grover free, mommy needs to have a** _ **friendly chat**_ **with our esteemed salesman here." Andi said in a mock sweet tone that made Percy shudder.**

"She got that from Mother." Zeus muttered.

 **"R-Right." The boy said, looking like he was honestly feeling sorry for Crusty right now. He ran over and pulled out Riptide, cutting the rest of the group free.**

 **Andi pulled out her sword and held the tip of it at the monster's lower region, as he screamed like a little girl at the action. "Now, Crusty, you seem like a very smart guy," she smiled sweetly, prodding his crotch slightly and smiled when he yelped. "So! Let's do the smart thing here. I want to know where the DOA Studio is, I'm sure a monster would know where it is. Now tell me, or my sword may go an inch further."**

 **"…How bout we cut a deal?"**

 **Light gleamed from the edge of the Xiphos.**

Ares snickered. "Nice try, dipshit."

"A very poor choice of words." Hephaestus snorted while he tinkered with an object of some sort.

 **"Bad wording." Crusty gulped, sweat coming from his forehead as he was no doubt trying to think, "Come on, we can hash out some details, kid! I can give you a few more inches!"**

 **Andi dug the tip of her sword a little deeper, a wind blade formed along its edges, lengthening it just a tad to begin cutting fabric, getting Crusty to squeal in fear, "I. Am. Not. Short."**

 **"Hey hey, I know my measurements and you're only four eight! No, wait, stop! How about a deluxe package set?!"**

 **Andi stabbed him. Deeply.**

 **"AHHH!"**

 **"Crusty?" Andi said with a sigh, "I thought you were smart?"**

 **The monster just screamed more.**

 **"Andi." Percy spoke with a gulp at the, uh,** _ **interrogation**_ **, "Look." He said as he held up a bright orange flier for DOA Recording Studios, offering commissions for heroes' souls. 'We are always looking for new talent!' the flier read with DOA's address right underneath with a map.**

"It's not a lie. Those 'deals with the devil'? Yeah, I had Charon broker those." Hades chuckled. "Oh the surprise on some of those actors faces."

"Who precisely?" Apollo asked.

"Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, Matthew Broderick-"

"Okay, that's enough..." Apollo rubbed his temples. It explained so much.

 **"Oh!" Andi chirped with a smile and looked at the wailing monster, "Well, Crusty, seems your services are no longer required." She smiled, sadistically, "Also. I'm fun size." The demigoddess told him as she swung her sword.**

 **Clean up on the showroom floor!**

 **Annabeth and Grover were shaking their sore limbs and were thankful they weren't stretched to death.**

 **Andi put her sword away and walked up to the desk, to see what else was under it that could be of help as Percy double checked on the others. In the corner of her eye, Andi saw something gleaming of brass.**

 **The girl picked up a huge double sided axe, "Huh," she mused with a tiny smile.**

"She's my sister, all right." Ares grinned.

 **"So, we set for the Underworld?" Percy asked, "It's only a block from here." He told them and turned to Andi, who was playing with her new toy, "Andi, lose the axe, we have questing to do!"**

 **"Hell no, I'm hanging this thing on my wall." She grinned wildly, swinging her new toy around.**

 **"Andi, you'll take someone's eye out!"**

"Someone's eye? She'll lop off someone's head." Frank snorted.

"Ohh, I hope it'll be Jackson's!" Ares grinned.

"Unlikely," Poseidon said with a glare aimed at the god of war.

"Let me dream!"

 **"Oh relax Grover, it's not like I'll—" she chopped a bed in half, "Oops."**

 **"See!"**

 **"…Still keeping it."**

"Smart kid." Ares nodded.

"No. No she is not." Dionysus snorted.

 **They stood in the shadows of Valencia Boulevard, looking up at gold letters etched in black marble: DOA RECORDING STUDIOS.**

 **Underneath, stenciled on the glass doors: NO SOLICITORS. NO LOITERING. NO LIVING.**

 **It was almost midnight, but the lobby was brightly lit and full of people. Behind the security desk sat a tough-looking guard with sunglasses and an earpiece.**

 **Percy turned to the group. "Okay. You remember the plan."**

 **"You mean** _ **my**_ **plan." Andi told him with crossed arms.**

 **"** _ **Our**_ **plan." Annabeth corrected the shorter girl.**

 **"Yes yes." The black haired girl waved off, "Still thought of it first." She muttered quietly.**

"Did not." Annabeth frowned childishly.

 **"The plan," Grover gulped. "Yeah. I love the plan."**

"I don't think he loves the plan." Leo stage whispered.

 **"What happens if the plan doesn't work?" Annabeth asked, worry leaking into her tone.**

 **"Don't think negatively." Percy suggested.**

 **"Right," she snarked. "We're entering the Land of the Dead, and I shouldn't think negatively, thanks for the advice."**

 **Percy fished out some small objects from of his pocket, the four milky spheres the Nereid had given him in Santa Monica, he assumed they were pearls. They didn't seem like much of a backup in case something went wrong.**

 **Annabeth put her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Percy. You're right, we'll make it. It'll be fine."**

 **She gave Grover a nudge.**

 **"Oh, right!" he chimed in. "We've got this far. We'll find the master bolt and save your mom. No problem."**

 **Andi placed a hand on her hip and gave him a playful wink, "We've got this Baywatch, just keep that Motor Mouth in check, ya hear?" She joked.**

 **He looked at all three of them, and felt really grateful. Only a few minutes before, two of them nearly got stretched to death on deluxe water beds, and now they were trying to be brave for his sake, trying to make him feel better.**

 **Percy slipped the pearls back into his pocket. "Let's whup some Underworld butt."**

 **Andi stopped the group right there.**

 **"** _ **That's**_ **your inspiring speech?" The daughter of Zeus asked him.**

"What? It's short, sweet and to the point!" Percy explained when the others looked at him oddly.

"I liked it." Jason admitted.

"Thank you."

"...Tyson's battle cry is Peanut Butter, Percy Jackson likes to 'whup butt', so I must ask, Poseidon..." Hades trailed off with a growing smirk. "What is _your_ battle cry?"

"The Sea Cannot Be Contained." Poseidon puffed out his chest in pride.

"There you have it. It's your fault."

 **"…Yes?"**

 **Andi groaned, palming her face, "Okay, let me show how to give one." she said with a clap of her hands, "Huddle up lady, gent, and goat." And they did so, heads crammed together, "Now, we are about to enter the underworld yes? And do you know what? We are going to make it out because we have something that no one else has."**

 **"Idiocy?" Grover asked questioningly with a gulp.**

 **"Suicidal tendencies?" Annabeth asked with a raised blonde brow.**

 **"Heart?" Percy asked with a clichéd suggestion.**

 **"No, no, and no…we have Percy's tiny milky balls." She joked with a big smile as the group, minus Percy, laughed and the tension around them eased up greatly.**

"I like this girl." Ares grinned.

"Yeah. She really grows on you." Hermes nodded while Apollo tried to control his snickers.

 **"That was low…and I so just set myself up for another joke there."**

 **Andi placed her fist to the side of his chin and softly nudged it, smiling. "You did and you caught it too. Progress." She praised him mockingly as he pushed her halfheartedly.**

 **Such a little jerk his cousin could be at times.**

 **He was glad that she had his back.**

"...My logic isn't that bad." Percy frowned when the other demigods looked at him quizzically.

"Sure it isn't." Nico nodded before he shook his head. "Strangest. Cousin. Ever."

 **They walked inside the DOA lobby.**

 **Muzak played softly from hidden speakers. The carpet and walls were steel gray. Pencil cactuses grew in the corners like skeleton hands. The furniture was black leather, and every seat was taken. There were people sitting on couches, people standing up, people staring out the windows or waiting for the elevator. Nobody moved, or talked, or did much of anything. The other questers all looked uncomfortable but Andi just felt like she was back in school again with all these ghosts around.**

 **The security guard's desk was a raised podium, so they had to look up at him.**

 **He was tall and elegant, with chocolate-colored skin and bleached-blond hair shaved military style. He wore tortoiseshell shades and a silk Italian suit that matched his hair. A black rose was pinned to his lapel under a silver name tag.**

 **Percy read the name tag, then looked at him in bewilderment, "Your name is Chiron?"**

"...That...That didn't happen here, did it?" Rhea asked her son quietly.

Poseidon's silence was the only answer she received.

 **"What did I say about that Motor Mouth?" Andi hissed at him, her eyes giving him a disbelieving look.**

 **The man leaned across the desk. They couldn't see anything in his glasses except their own reflections, but his smile was sweet and cold, like a python's; right before it ate you.**

 **"What a precious young lad." He had a strange accent — British, maybe, not as polished as Andi's, but also as if he had learned English as a second language. "Tell me, mate, do I look like a centaur?"**

 **"N-No."**

 **"Sir," he added smoothly.**

 **"Sir," Percy added.**

 **He pinched the name tag and ran his finger under the letters. "Can you read this, mate? It says C-H-A-R-O-N. Say it with me: CARE-ON."**

 **"Charon."**

 **"Amazing! Now: Mr. Charon."**

 **"Mr. Charon," Percy said with more certainty.**

"I feel like I contaminated the word 'mister'." Percy grimaced.

"Yeah, that happens." Hades shrugged his nephew's complaint off.

 **"Well done." He sat back. "I hate being confused with that old horse-man. And now, how may I help you little dead ones?"**

 **His question caught Percy off-guard as he turned to Andi to spring the plan.**

 **"We want to go the Underworld," she said, a nice smile on her face.**

 **Charon's mouth twitched. "Well, that's refreshing."**

 **"It is?" Annabeth asked.**

 **"Straightforward and honest. No screaming. No 'There must be a mistake, Mr. Charon.'" He looked them over. "How did you die, then?"**

 **"We drank the Kool-Aid." Andi told him with a shrug.**

"Priceless." Leo smirked. He frowned. "Well, not for the people it happened to for real, but...Man, dark jokes are confusing."

"Nah, just laugh at it. Humor is supposed to be a mask of pain." Nico shrugged him off.

 **Charon groaned, "Oh, don't tell me I've got another horde of you people! I only got rid of the last of you a decade ago since you lot couldn't shut up!" He grimaced but sighed out and stared at them with boredom, "I don't suppose you have coins for passage. Normally, with adults, you see, I could charge your American Express, or add the ferry price to your last cable bill. But with children...alas, you never die prepared. Suppose you'll have to take a seat for a few centuries."**

 **"Oh, but we have coins." Percy set three golden drachmas on the counter, part of the stash they'd found in Crusty's office desk.**

 **"Well, now..." Charon mused, licking his lips hungrily, almost like he wanted to eat the coins. "Real drachmas. Real golden drachmas. I haven't seen these in..."**

 **His fingers hovered greedily over the coins.**

 **They were so close.**

"It was then that Percy Jackson knew...he fucked up." Ares smirked.

"It wasn't my fault!" Percy scowled.

"It was Andi's plan. And she's used to seeing gold." Annabeth consoled him.

 **Then Charon looked at Percy. That cold stare behind his glasses seemed to bore a hole through his chest. "Here now," the well-dressed man said. "You couldn't read my name correctly. Are you dyslexic, lad?"**

 **"No," Percy said. "I'm dead."**

 **"Super dead." Andi said with gritted teeth, already knowing they were caught. Stupid Percy.**

 **Charon leaned forward and took a sniff. "You're not dead. I should've known. You're a godling."**

 **"We have to get to the Underworld," the son of the sea insisted.**

 **Charon made a growling sound deep in his throat.**

 **Immediately, all the people in the waiting room got up and started pacing, getting agitated, lighting cigarettes, running hands through their hair, or checking their wristwatches.**

 **"Leave while you can," Charon told them. "I'll just take these and forget I saw you."**

 **He started to go for the coins, but Percy quickly snatched them back.**

 **"No service, no tip." Percy said, clearly trying to sound brave if the slight waver in his voice was any clue.**

"Ouch. Right in his wallet." Hades smirked. "The perfect way to punish him. ...Well, that or destroying his suit right in front of him."

 **Charon growled again — a guttural, blood-chilling sound. The spirits of the dead started pounding on the elevator doors.**

 **"It's a shame, too," Percy sighed.**

 **"We had more to offer." He said and held up the entire bag from Crusty's stash. He took out a fistful of drachmas and let the coins spill through his fingers.**

"Salt on the wound...My, Poseidon, your son would be good in my business."

"That's not funny, Hades."

"Who's joking?" Hades smirked.

 _ **Percy, for someone who's usually dim, this is genius.**_ **Andi thought to herself as she saw the son of Poseidon bribe the Ferrier of the Dead.**

 **Charon's growl changed into something more like a lion's purr. "Do you think I can be bought, godling? Eh, though… just out of curiosity, how much have you got there?"**

 **"A lot," Percy said, a smirk coming to his face. "I bet Hades doesn't pay you well enough for such hard work."**

"...I'm going to eviscerate your son, Poseidon." Hades deadpanned.

"Ooh! Can I help!?" Ares asked eagerly.

"Absolutely not." Zeus growled. He sent a glare Hades' way. "He was just joking...weren't you, brother?"

"...Maybe."

"Hades." Rhea frowned.

Hades frowned back at her. "Mother-!"

"It's obviously a ploy to get Charon to help them. Don't take it too seriously."

"...That still implies I should take it a bit seriously."

"Hades, I'm your mother. A Titaness. Why should you listen to anything I have to say? It's not like I spend time with some of the minor gods..."

"...Hera-?" Zeus whispered to his wife, who patted his hand.

"Relax, Zeus." Hera smiled. "Mother is done ruling. Aren't you mother?"

"Oh yes." Rhea nodded. "I'm a grandmother now. I have to let my children take the reigns."

 **"Oh, you don't know the half of it. How would you like to babysit these spirits all day? Always 'Please don't let me be dead' or 'Please let me across for free.' I haven't had a pay raise in three thousand years. Do you imagine suits like this come cheap?"**

 **"You deserve better," the boy agreed. "A little appreciation. Respect. Good pay."**

 **With each word, he stacked another gold coin on the counter.**

 _ **Percy, I can't believe you're pulling this off!**_ **Andi thought, amazed.**

"I can't believe it either." Thalia admitted.

"I still can't believe it worked." Annabeth smiled sheepishly at her betrayed boyfriend. "Sorry, Seaweed Brain."

"I can't believe it's not butter," Apollo said as he held a carton of the goods in his hand.

"Your idiocy knows no bounds, does it?" Artemis asked dryly.

"You lack a sense of humor sis. See? Herm likes it."

"I love that joke." Hermes breathed out while he wiped away his eyes.

 **Charon glanced down at his silk Italian jacket, as if imagining himself in something even better. "I must say, lad, you're making some sense now. Just a little."**

 **Percy stacked another few coins. "I could mention a pay raise while I'm talking to Hades."**

 **He sighed. "The boat's almost full, anyway. I might as well add you four and be off."**

 **He stood, scooping up the money, and said, "Come along."**

 _ **He did it! He actually did it.**_ **Andi couldn't help but think. She wasn't alone in thinking that Percy had just pulled off the impossible, that much was clear from the looks of amazement that both Annabeth and Grover were also shooting him.**

"...Ow." Percy frowned. "Grover, too?"

That hurt much more than he thought it would the second time around.

 **They pushed through the crowd of waiting spirits, who started grabbing at their clothes like the wind, their voices whispering unintelligibly. Charon shoved them out of the way, grumbling, "Freeloaders."**

 **He escorted the group into the elevator, which was already crowded with souls of the dead, each one holding a green boarding pass. Charon grabbed two spirits who were trying to get on with them and pushed them back into the lobby.**

 **"Right. Now, no one get any ideas while I'm gone," he announced to the waiting room. "And if anyone moves the dial off my easy-listening station again, I'll make sure you're here for another thousand years. Understand?"**

 **He shut the doors and then put a key card into a slot in the elevator panel that caused them to start descending.**

 **"What happens to the spirits waiting in the lobby?" Annabeth asked curiously.**

 **"Nothing," Charon said.**

 **"For how long?"**

 **"Forever, or until I'm feeling generous."**

 **"Oh," she said. "That's...fair."**

"It's better than letting them remain as my _other_ sister's playthings." Nico grumbled.

"Not to mention the labeling they have to go through." Hades grumbled. "Subsections and subdivisions galore."

 **Charon raised an eyebrow. "Whoever said death was fair, young miss? Wait until it's your turn. You'll die soon enough, where you're going."**

 **"We'll get out alive," Andi told him in a crisp tone, eyes narrowed at the man.**

 **"Ha."**

 **"Potter?!" A male voice squeaked in surprise and Andi turned, doing a double take.**

 **"The bleeding hell are you doing—! Oh, right. You died…HA!" She mocked the spirit, "Sucks to be you, Quirrel." She jeered at the bald man in wizard robes.**

 **Indeed, her first Defense Against The Dark Arts professor was in the elevator.**

 **"You know him?" Annabeth asked her friend.**

 **"Kinda tried to kill me, got to him first." She turned to the spirit, feeling smug, "How'd being burnt alive feel you twisted bastard?"**

"Gruesome, yet fitting." Thalia smirked.

 **The pale ghost's face turned a dark grey, as if angry, "Why you little brat!"**

 **Andi kicked him for calling her little. Sadly, her leg went through him.**

 **The child of Zeus turned to Charon. "Could you kick or slap him maybe for me?" she asked him nicely.**

 **"Why would I do that?"**

 **Andi held out a golden drachma.**

"That's why." Nico chuckled.

 **The rider of the Styx gave the lousy wizard a good kick to the 'nads.**

 **Who knew ghosts felt pain down there?**

 **Andi gave the god the coin.**

 **"Pleasure doin' business with you, lass."**

 **"Any time."**

"Now that... _That_ is classic." Leo laughed, his arms around his sides.

Hermes and Apollo were applauding.

Artemis was smirking at the just desserts.

Zeus rubbed his head. His other's daughter was making him look bad.

 **"Thanatos has been yammering me to get this guy down here along with some other English idiot." Charon said. "Been spamming my email for months!"**

 **"For who?" Andi asked. She looked at the downed Quirrel and then back at the Ferrier. "Voldemort?"**

 **"No, no, some other guy, Tony something. River, I think. I could honestly care less." The Ferrier waved off.**

 **"Tom Riddle?"**

"Tony River...Note to self, do something with that." Apollo mumbled.

"Why would you do anything with that?" Artemis asked.

"I wouldn't personally, I'd have the muses do something with it." Apollo shrugged. "Like, _River of Lies_ or something dramatic like that."

"Your laziness astounds me, Apollo."

"Feelings are hurt, sis."

 **Charon snapped his fingers. "That's it!"**

 **Andi hummed in thought about that as a sudden dizzy spell come on when they stopped going down, but instead started moving forward. The air turned misty. The spirits around them started changing shape. Their modern clothes flickered, turning into gray hooded robes. The floor of the elevator began swaying.**

 **It was then they noticed that Charon's creamy Italian suit had suddenly been replaced by a long black robe. His tortoiseshell glasses were gone. Where his eyes should've been were empty sockets - like Ares's eyes, except Charon's were totally dark, full of night and death and despair. The flesh of his face was becoming transparent, letting you see straight through to his skull.**

 **The floor kept swaying.**

"Gut turning..." Piper muttered with a groan. She was not a fan of boats. ...Aside from the Argo, but that was more of a ship than a boat.

 **"I think I'm getting seasick." Grover moaned.**

 **Percy couldn't help but feel queasy himself as his senses got thrown for a loop as the elevator suddenly stopped being an elevator anymore, and they instead found themselves standing on a wooden barge. Charon was poling them across a dark, oily river, swirling with bones, dead fish, and other, stranger things - plastic dolls, crushed carnations, soggy diplomas with gilt edges.**

 **"The River Styx," Annabeth murmured. "It's so..."**

 **"Polluted," Charon stated, nodding his assent. "For thousands of years, you humans have been throwing in everything as you come across — hopes, dreams, wishes that never came true. Irresponsible waste management, if you ask me."**

"So...The Styx is where dreams, hopes and wishes go to die?" Leo asked.

"No." Nico shook his head. "It's where they go once they're dead."

"...Whoa."

 **Mist curled off the filthy water. Above them, almost lost in the gloom, was a ceiling of stalactites. Ahead, the far shore glimmered with greenish light, the color of poison.**

 **Panic filled the demigods, what in the world were they doing here? These people…were dead!**

 **The three children grasped each other's hands. Under normal circumstances, this would've embarrassed all of them, but right now all they wanted was reassurance that somebody else was alive on this boat. They could wait till later to get all embarrassed.**

"They can get embarrassed. I won't mind." Ares grinned.

"Of course you wouldn't," Percy said dryly.

 **Percy wanted to pray, but he didn't think it would go through. Only one god mattered here and he was about to come face to face with him.**

"Why does everyone always act like that's such a horrible thing?" Hades asked sourly and drummed his fingers on the arm of his throne.

"Because _death_ , brother." Poseidon explained simply.

"...It's not the worst thing that could happen..." Hades muttered.

 **The shoreline of the Underworld came into view. Craggy rocks and black volcanic sand stretched inland about a hundred yards to the base of a high stone wall, which marched off in either direction as far as the group could see. A sound came from somewhere nearby in the green gloom, echoing off the stones — the howl of a large animal.**

 **"Old Three-Face is hungry," Charon said. His smile turned skeletal in the greenish light. "Bad luck for you, godlings."**

"Not if this goes the same way as the last one," Jason said with a small chuckle.

 **The bottom of their boat slid onto the black sand. The dead began to disembark. A woman holding a little girl's hand. An old man and an old woman hobbling along arm in arm. A boy no older than they were, shuffling silently along in his gray robe. Even Andi's school teacher started to glide along.**

 **Charon said, "I'd wish you luck, mate, but there isn't any down here. Mind you, don't forget to mention my pay raise."**

 **He counted their golden coins into his pouch, then took up his pole. He warbled something that sounded like a Barry Manilow song as he ferried the empty barge back across the river.**

 **The questers followed the spirits up a well-worn path.**

"Normally not the best idea," Nico said. "Spirits get lost, too."

"...How?" Percy asked.

Nico shrugged. "Residue of the leftover Free Will, I'd guess."

"Or just poor senses of direction," Hades said dryly.

 **Now, one would think that the entrance to the land of the dead would be the stereotypical Pearly Gates, or some big black portcullis, or something. But the entrance to the Underworld as Percy described it to the group as it came into view, "Looks like a cross between airport security and the Jersey Turnpike."**

 **Andi didn't know what the Jersey Turnpike looked like, but she got the bit about airport security at least and she couldn't agree more.**

 **There were three separate entrances under one huge black archway that said YOU ARE NOW ENTERING EREBUS. Each entrance had a pass-through metal detector with security cameras mounted on top. Beyond this were tollbooths manned by black-robed ghouls like Charon.**

 **The howling of the hungry animal was really loud now, but they couldn't see where it was coming from. The three-headed dog, Cerberus, who was supposed to guard Hades' door, was nowhere to be seen.**

 **Suddenly, the gates blared in alarm and the questers panicked, as if they had been caught. But looking closer at the gate, they could see Quirrel getting dragged away by the shades in black robes as the dead man screamed.**

"Also something you don't see everyday." Nico hummed in amusement.

"Speak for yourself." Hades drawled.

 **"Ah, comeuppance, how grand." Andi smiled at seeing justice at its finest.**

 **She pointedly ignored the looks her friends were giving her. So what if she was happy to see Quirrel get his just deserts? It was only right.**

"...Definitely Zeus' daughter." Poseidon chuckled. "Happy to see those who wronged her get punished."

"Oh shut up." Zeus scoffed.

 **The dead queued up in the three lines, two marked ATTENDANT ON DUTY, and one marked EZ DEATH. The EZ DEATH line was moving right along. The other two were crawling.**

 **"What do you figure?" Percy asked Annabeth.**

 **"The fast line must go straight to the Asphodel Fields," she said. "No contest. They don't want to risk judgment from the court, because it might go against them."**

 **"There's a court for dead people?" Andi asked with a blink.**

"In the criminal justice system of the underworld-"

"No, Apollo." Hades shut down the introduction with a flat stare.

"Aw, c'mon, that would make for great television!" Apollo complained.

 **"Yeah. Three judges. They switch around who sits on the bench. King Minos, Thomas Jefferson, Shakespeare — people like that. Sometimes they look at a life and decide that person needs a special reward — the Fields of Elysium. Sometimes they decide on punishment. But most people, well, they just lived. Nothing special, good or bad. So they go to the Asphodel Fields."**

 **"And do what?" Percy asked curiously.**

 **"Imagine standing in a wheat field in Kansas. Forever." Grover said, shuddering.**

"I don't see how that's bad." Demeter scowled.

"Of course you don't...Grain-zilla."

"You!" Demeter fumed with a flushed face while Hades smirked.

 **"Harsh," the two kids of the big three said as one.**

 **"Not as harsh as that," Grover muttered. "Look."**

 **A couple of black-robed ghouls had pulled aside one spirit and were frisking him at the security desk. The face of the dead man looked vaguely familiar to the Americans.**

 **"He's that preacher who made the news, remember? The one who embezzled millions." Grover asked.**

 **"Oh, yeah." Percy agreed after a few minutes of thought.**

 **The sea child said, "What're they doing to him?"**

 **"Cactus up the bum?" Andi asked with a smirk. That sounded like an interesting torture.**

"That's reserved for Hitler on Thursdays." Hades said with a straight face. "As the council requested one eternal day for humiliation..."

"...I didn't pass off on that." Zeus frowned.

"I wasn't talking about the _Olympian_ council." Hades muttered.

 **"Dark, but yeah, some special punishment from Hades," Grover assumed. "The really bad people get his personal attention as soon as they arrive. The Fur—the Kindly Ones will set up an eternal torture for him."**

 **The thought of the Furies made Percy shudder. Andi could understand why, he was in their home field now, and based on what he'd said about the one that had masqueraded as his maths teacher, she at least would be licking her lips with anticipation to get her hands on him.**

 **"But if he's a preacher," Percy said with a knitted brow in thought, "and he believes in a different hell..."**

 **Grover shrugged. "Who says he's seeing this place the way we're seeing it? Humans see what they want to see. You're very stubborn—Uh, persistent, that way."**

"No, stubborn works." Percy nodded.

 **They got closer to the gates. The howling was so loud now it shook the ground at their feet, but they still couldn't figure out where it was coming from.**

 **Then, about fifty feet in front of them, the green mist shimmered, revealing that standing just where the path split into three lanes was an enormous shadowy monster.**

 **They hadn't seen it before because it was half transparent, like the dead. Until it moved, it blended with whatever was behind it. Only its eyes and teeth looked solid. And it was staring straight at them.**

 **Percy jaw hung open. All he could say was, "He's a Rottweiler."**

"A good Rottweiler." Annabeth huffed firmly.

"...So, what kind of dog are you getting, Percy?" Leo asked.

"I already have a dog."

"I meant for when you move in with Annabeth."

"...Uhh..." Percy hesitated at the gleam in Annabeth's eye.

 **Andi just gave a hard blink at seeing the original Cerberus. He was a lot bigger than Fluffy, and was probably not as nice as how Hagrid had raved his kid was too. Her hand slowly moved towards her bag.**

 **The dead walked right up to him - with no fear at all. The ATTENDANT ON DUTY lines parted on either side of him. The EZ DEATH spirits walked right between his front paws and under his belly, which they could do without even crouching.**

 **"I'm starting to see him better," Percy muttered. "Why is that?"**

 **"I think ..." Annabeth moistened her lips. "I'm afraid it's because we're getting closer to being dead."**

 **The dog's middle head craned toward them. It sniffed the air and growled.**

 **"It can smell the living," Percy said with a gulp.**

 **"But that's okay," Grover said, trembling next to him. "Because we have a plan."**

 **"Right," Annabeth said. They'd never heard her voice sound quite so small. "A plan."**

"Abort mission! Abort mission!" Leo waved his arms frantically.

"World War Three, Leo."

"...Right. Well then." Leo grimaced. "We're all doomed."

 **They moved toward the monster.**

 **The middle head snarled at them, then barked so loud that Andi felt she was almost shook out of her sneakers as her hand roamed in her magical messenger bag.**

 **"Can you understand it?" Percy asked Grover.**

 **"Oh yeah," he said. "I can understand it."**

 **"What's it saying?"**

 **"I don't think humans have a four-letter word that translates, exactly."**

"He's obviously not trying hard enough." Ares snorted.

 **"So, Andi, you mentioned you had a plan, right?" Percy asked with a gulp.**

 **He got no answer.**

 **It was then a flute started to play, specifically, the Darth Vader theme. The group turned to Andi who was playing a metal flute that had the words PROPERTY OF CABIN SEVEN etched onto the side.**

 **The three growling heads stopped and turned to Andi as well, the heads swaying to the theme as he sat on his rump with a mini quake, squashing some spirits of the dead in the process. His tail wagging happily to the theme.**

"It's Hades' ring tone on my cell." Poseidon nodded.

"...Surprisingly flattering." Hades smirked lightly. "I almost feel bad for making Under Da Sea your ringtone."

"...Jerk."

 **Andi continued to play as she turned to the others, her eyes pointing to the security gates twice.**

 **"Andi, just put it to sleep and we can go." Annabeth told her friend.**

 **"Can't." Andi said quickly as she got back to playing with a quick breath.**

 **"Why not?" Percy asked his cousin.**

 **"Need to." Toot, "constantly." Toot, "play." Toot, "for him." Toot, "to sleep." She answered in quick breaths as she rapidly played as Cerberus' heads started to yawn and he laid down on his belly to listen more comfortably.**

 **"We can't just leave you here." Percy argued sternly as the giant dog monster rested his heads on the ground, three sets of eyes drooping.**

 **The flute tune played sharper and went back to its original pitch, yet somehow, Percy seemed to understand that he had just been insulted.**

 _ **Smart boy, that little sea spawn.**_ **Andi thought to herself scathingly as she glared at her friends to get going.**

"Words we'll never hear again." Thalia smirked.

 **"Orpheus did the same thing." Grover stated, "But well, better." He shrugged.**

 **"Not him!" Toot. "I did this." Toot. "To one." Toot. "At my school." Toooot!**

 **"In your school!?" The son of the sea hissed incredulously.**

"That's gotta be one heck of a story-Oh wait." Leo smirked.

"Shut up, Leo." Percy grumbled.

 **"Not" Toot. "The time." Toot. "Go!" Andi told them as she continued to play. She could maybe play for another twenty minutes before her throat went dry, she had always had an impressive set of lungs on her. Probably because her father was the windbag god, she silently giggled at the joke.**

 **Annabeth nibbled her lip in thought before a smile crossed over her face.**

 **"Wait!" Annabeth whispered as she started rifling through her own pack. She moved up to Andi and whispered into the daughter of Zeus' ear quickly. Andi mulled Annabeth's suggestion over as she played and gave a positive nod.**

 **The daughter of Athena produced a red rubber ball the size of a grapefruit. It was labeled WATERLAND, DENVER, CO. Andi stopped her playing, and immediately Cerberus blinked at the missing tune. With a shake of his heads, he growled as he stood up.**

 **Expecting this, the blonde demigoddess raised the ball and marched straight up to the monster dog.**

 **She shouted, "See the ball? You want the ball, Cerberus? Sit!"**

"Either the bravest or the most foolish of your children, Athena." Hades shook his head.

Athena scowled at him while Annabeth frowned.

 **Cerberus looked as stunned as the two boys were. Andi on the other hand, had the flute at the ready in case this didn't work.**

 **All three of Cerberus' heads cocked sideways. Six nostrils dilated.**

 **"Sit!" Annabeth called again.**

 **The boys, Percy in particular, looked like they thought Annabeth was about to get herself killed.**

 **But that didn't happen, instead Cerberus licked his three sets of lips, shifted on his haunches, and sat, immediately crushing a dozen more spirits who'd been passing underneath him in the EZ DEATH line. The spirits made muffled hisses as they dissipated, like the air let out of tires.**

 **Annabeth said, "Good boy!"**

"He really is a good dog," Annabeth said softly.

"Annabeth, we have Mrs. O'Leary."

"Yeah, but...We could have a Fluffy."

"No, Annabeth."

"Percy."

"I said _no_." Percy crossed his arms. "No three-headed rottweilers."

"Wow, go Percy. You put that foot down." Nico smirked.

"...Aren't you supposed to be on my side?" Percy asked.

"Yeah, but..." Nico grinned. "This is way more entertaining."

"Jerk cousin."

"Love you too, Percy."

 **She threw Cerberus the ball.**

 **He caught it in his middle mouth. It was barely big enough for him to chew, and the other heads started snapping at the middle, trying to get the new toy.**

 **"Drop it.'" Annabeth ordered.**

 **Cerberus' heads stopped fighting and looked at her. The ball was wedged between two of his teeth like a tiny piece of gum. He made a loud, scary whimper, then dropped the ball, now slimy and bitten nearly in half, at Annabeth's feet.**

"...Man, Annie, you wanna stop by the camp and help us with some pups?" Thalia asked.

"It's just some basic obedience training, Thalia," Annabeth said.

 **"Good boy." She and turned to Andi with a nod. The witch pointed her hand at the red slobbery ball and hit it with magic. A second later, it started to bounce up and down on its own, making happy squeaky noises.**

 **Annabeth turned toward boys. "Go now. EZ DEATH line — it's faster."**

 **Percy said, "But—"**

 **"Now.'" She ordered, in the same tone she was using on the dog.**

 **Grover and Percy inched forward warily as Andi was still in a ready position with her flute.**

 **Cerberus started to growl.**

 **"Stay!" Annabeth ordered the monster. "If you want the ball, stay!"**

"...You sure you don't want-?"

"Thalia, I'm not going to join the Hunt."

"Wha-a-at? Who said anything about that?"

"You're terrible at recruiting," Annabeth said with a small smirk.

"...Shut up." Thalia muttered with a frown.

Artemis sighed. _Zoë was the same way..._

 **Cerberus whimpered, but he stayed where he was.**

 **"What about you two?" the male demigod asked Annabeth as the two passed the girls.**

 **"We'll be fine, we've got a plan." Andi winked at them as Annabeth grinned too.**

 **"We know what we're doing Seaweed Brain. The girls always do." She told him.**

"So true." Piper smirked as she snuggled into Jason's side.

"Maybe." Hazel hesitantly agreed.

Annabeth and Thalia just grinned at each other while the boys rolled their eyes.

 **Grover and Percy walked between the monster's legs, nervously looking up, probably hoping that Annabeth wouldn't get Cerberus to sit on them.**

 **Annabeth said, "Good dog! Now Andi."**

 **"Roger dodger Bethy."**

 **The self-moving ball started to bounce away from the two girls and the giant dog gave chase. The monster's left mouth immediately snatched it up, only to be attacked by the middle head, while the right head moaned in protest.**

 **While the monster was distracted, the girls walked briskly towards the boys at the metal detector.**

 **"How did you do that?" Percy asked the blonde, amazed.**

 **"Obedience school," Annabeth said breathlessly, and Andi was surprised to see there were tears in her eyes. "When I was little, at my dad's house, we had a Doberman..."**

"What happened to him?" Percy asked.

Annabeth shifted uncomfortably and looked away. "Demigod luck."

"Demigod...oh. Oh!" Percy tightened his arm over her shoulders and gave her a gentle kiss atop her head while she relaxed into his side.

Behind them, Poseidon smiled proudly at his son.

Aphrodite concealed a squeal best she could – she would not be silenced again!

Athena glowered, but let it be.

For now.

 **"Never mind that," Grover said, tugging at Percy's shirt. "Come on!"**

 **They were about to bolt through the EZ DEATH line when Cerberus moaned pitifully from all three mouths. Annabeth stopped.**

 **She turned to face the dog, which had done a one-eighty to look at them.**

 **Cerberus panted expectantly, the tiny red ball in pieces in a puddle of drool at its feet, making pitiful conjured squeaky noises.**

 **"Good boy," Annabeth said, but her voice sounded melancholy and uncertain.**

"A very good dog." Hazel nodded. "I'd invite you over to play with him, Annabeth, but my dad's kind of strict about guests."

"...When did you get a sense of humor?" Leo asked.

"Yes, I'd like to hear this story as well," Hades said dryly as he glowered at his Roman daughter.

 **The monster's heads turned sideways, as if worried about her.**

 **"I'll bring you another ball soon," the blonde promised faintly. "Would you like that?"**

 **The monster whimpered. The black haired children didn't need to speak dog to know Cerberus was still waiting for the ball.**

 **"Good dog. I'll come visit you soon. I-I promise." Annabeth turned to the group. "Let's go."**

"Aww...And she never went back." Nico shook his head. "Empty promises-Ow!"

"Not cool, hombre." Leo huffed and shook out his hand before he grinned at Percy, who nodded in thanks.

 **Grover and Percy pushed through the metal detector, which immediately screamed and set off flashing red lights. "Unauthorized possessions! Magic detected!"**

 **Cerberus started to bark.**

 **The kids burst through the EZ DEATH gate, which started even more alarms blaring, and raced into the Underworld.**

 **A few minutes later, they were hiding, out of breath, in the rotten trunk of an immense black tree as security ghouls scuttled past, yelling for backup from the Furies.**

 **As they hid, Andi awkwardly patted Annabeth's back. Confused why she was feeling so vexed over running off on the guard dog of the underworld as the child of Athena cried a little. Thankfully the boys were tactful enough to pretend not to notice.**

"...If, and this is a big _if_ , if we have enough room-" Percy didn't get to finish his sentence before he was given a tight hug.

"I've already got the perfect location, design, materials, and everything else in mind." Annabeth grinned at him. She pecked him on the cheek and he gained a dopey smile. "Thanks Seaweed Brain."

"Yeah-huh." Percy nodded dumbly.

* * *

 **REREVIEWSKIS!**


End file.
